Preacher Girl

I mean it. I gave a talk on Sunday and woaaah hidden talent? PULPIT POUNDING. Sister Armknecht and I were given the topic of "Decisions for Eternity." I don't know if I've described Sister Armknecht well yet, but she is quiet. Like a church mouse quiet. But SUPER intelligent. So when it comes to giving talks she gives this great little talk- and I mean little (5 minutes). Realizing her talk was so short she starts just sharing quotes.... then leaves me with like 35 minutes.CHALLENGE ACCEPTED.And that's how I became a preacher girl. I ad libbed and spoke no problem. I knew the Lord had to have been helping because public speaking is NOT a talent of mine. Anyway, I called everyone to repentance and filled our dinner calendar for the next month because everyone now thinks I am a good role model for good choices? Awkward. I just embrace it.

Speaking of awkward. We almost drowned Trinity? AKA I got soaking wet climbing half way into the font and calming her down after her 2nd dunk when she was under for like 20 seconds- with the baptizer trying to push her the rest of the way under? To no avail. 3rd dunk is the charm. Or maybe it wasn't? But the good news is the witnesses took pity on her and pronounced her baptized! (The millennium is to fix those kinds of mistakes right?) She finally stopped screaming "I DON'T WANT TO GET BAPTIZED ANYMORE!" And I had that cute little doe eyed convert run up and hug me at church on Sunday. All worth it.

Hmmm lets see. Oh yeah, CHRISTMAS! Believe it or not, NOT my favorite holiday as a missionary! People were appalled that the only family tradition I could think of was being out of town? Preferably somewhere sunny? ALSO I had the flu. In Montana culture if someone is sick you pretend they are the devil himself come to personally get you. AKA we had like zero appointments all week. BUT the good news is I am feeling WAY better and we had 2 new investigators at church on Sunday!... that we are meeting with this week! Don't be surprised if we drown them in this next month. Baptizing is our new favorite thing! Bringing people through the gate so they can walk the strait and narrow path to God- there is no greater joy. "And lo- he that thrusteth in his sickle with his might. The same layeth up in store that he perisheth not, but bringeth salvation to his soul."

Talking to A^3 (Andrew, Ali, Aurora) was the BEST! Sister Armknecht was dying laughing the whole time. Apparently we are hilarious. Also- the Conrads (who we skyped at) LOVED Rory. I talked her up for a good hour and then I get on and ANDREW LET HER NAP!!! So I just talked really loud and woke her up? It's FIIINE.Concerning the VISA. Ali is getting the police letter on Wednesday she said, so SLC should have it by Monday. I've started getting emails from my ecclesiastical card with how much Brazillian money I have on it? AKA I'M PRETTY POSITIVE IT'S HAPPENING! Oh ye of little faith! We can all learn a little something from the Brother of Jared, eh? You want to see his hand in your life? LOOK FOR IT!

I have to go, but I am so happy you are doing sketchy things on Cathedral roofs? So proud.

LOVE YOU MUITO!

Sister Haley K. Mills

PS I've become OBSESSED with "Jesus the Christ". I made the mistake of perusing during personal study and now I can't stop reading it! AHHH!

Good News...

Let me share with you some "good news" from this week:I got a call from the mission home that I needed to immediately send in some paperwork. Notarized paperwork. AKA THEY ARE WORKING ON MY VISA! Not kidding I started crying in a van full of 14 missionaries.

We were all in a van because we were at CHRISTMAS ZONE CONFERENCE for the "West-Side." Where we had a BOMB lesson on faith. Faith to perform miracles. Peter walked on water. He only started to fall when he got distracted by the boisterous wind. We must have faith, and we must stay focused on the "prize." Which is living eternally with our families and with our Father in Heaven.I started crying because I had decided in that meeting that I would stay. That I would be okay here, that I liked the cold and the people and the language. That I would accept my fate. Turns out Heavenly Father might have a different Christmas gift in mind for me. We all have the gift of our Savior's sacrifice. Through him we can be saved. But soon I may get to share that message in Brazil. Oh happy day.It will be a happy day because I can't speak a lick of Portuguese, and I will get to experience the amazing power of my Father in Heaven to bolster me, to hold me up when I would otherwise fall.I would fall because I am just a woman. With weakness and trials. But as I lean on the Lord to help me, those weaknesses can become strengths and I can be comforted in time of need.

Let this be a Merry Christmas because your Savior paid for your sins. Your Heavenly Father came up with a plan for you to return to live with him. And you fought for and accepted that plan. THAT'S where we came from, THAT'S where we are going, THAT'S WHY WE ARE HERE.

Now... on a hilarious note.I was using the analogy seen on "The District 1" where they are teaching about the authority from God to baptize. AKA the priesthood. Also, I think I should disclose that we were teaching this woman. And we were talking to her 6 year old and 4 year old daughters at this point. So I go- "If someone in an ice cream truck pulls you over and tries to give you a ticket, do you take the ticket?" "You don't take it." "GOOD! Now if a police officer pulls you over, do you take that ticket?" "No, you have to give it back!" WE DIE LAUGHING. Apparently they were taught well not to take things that aren't theirs. THEN we are talking about how after Jesus Christ died that authority left the earth. I go- "So now if Jesus Christ AND his apostles died who has the authority to act in their name?" The 4 year old goes- "THE COPS!" HAHAHA. Sister Armknecht goes- "WOW! You are such a good listener." And we literally laugh the whole way home.

We go to contact this mother/daughter with the last name "Daniels". We show up at their trailer and lo and behold a male answers the door. I go- "Is this uh.. Sister... uh I mean the Daniels?" He proceeds to tell us they moved out over a year ago and it's just him and he lives alone. So I go- "Well would you be interested in hearing more about the Gospel of Jesus Christ restored on the earth today?" He says thanks, but no thanks and we bustle along back on our merry way. Well when we sit back in the car I see that the contact also has a number! LET'S CALL THEM! The phone rings once and a guy answers. "Hi, is this Sister Daniels?" HAHAHA. Same guy. We have a festive little chat and laugh about how hilarious that was. Then I get off the phone and turn to Sister Armknecht and go- man, that must have been pretty awkward for him. OHHH the life of a missionary.

We were meeting with a family that is becoming more re-activated in the church with the last name of "Tracy." They were baptized about 4 years ago, and after they were baptized they got scared and RAN FOR THE HILLS. Well after 4 years of inactivity they decided that they liked what they had seen. But just in case, they wanted to keep going to this other church while they checked ours out so all their kids could still get some "sound doctrine." They were telling us about this experience because (they only did it for a couple of weeks) every Sunday they would go to our ward. Then they would brief their kids on the drive to the other church- "Don't TALK about the Mormons! Do we all have the other Bible? Turn your Book of Mormon in." "We are HERETICS!" HAHAHA.

I have another baptism on Saturday! STOKED!And I am giving a talk on Sunday? SURPRISE, being a missionary is the best!

LOVE YOU!

Sister Haley K. Mills

Planning Pie

It was a fabulous week really. We had 3 people on date to be baptized, then 2, then 1, then 2 again, then we were dropped by the 3rd, but now he is back on, but without a date. Woooh. Breath needed. But really it was a fabulous week and it all stems from "planning pie." 

The week of Thanksgiving Sister Armknecht and I were in Walmart and found this Dutch Apple Pie that had NO DAIRY! I was stoked obviously! I spent the next week gaining 500 pounds eating pie everyday during planning (when we get home at night.) The next week we run to Walmart only to find out they don't have it anymore! MUCH to my dismay I came to believe "planning pie" was a thing of the past. As you can guess- it wasn't! We get to our dinner appointment last Tuesday and they bring out this pie they bought for me - "It's DAIRY FREE!" So they send it home with us on our merry little way and I am happy as a Lark. Then we get to our dinner appointment on Wednesday and they bring out this pie they bought for me! GUESS WHAT? PLANNING PIE! They were out of planning pie at Walmart because all of our dinners had bought me planning pie! It's the tender mercies that make it all worth it! So... now I might weigh 500 pounds? Disregard the pictures where I actually look only a LITTLE chunks, that is an illusion. But for reals, can you say blessings of serving a mission for the Lord?! 

This week Sister Armknecht and I had a "WOW" experience (credit: Rory (niece). So glad she has such a great fave word these days!). We were setting our goals for baptisms. We both felt like 2 in the month of January was the goal. Soooo we call the Zone Leaders and report our goals and they both get super deflated. "FAITH sisters! Where is the FAITH?!" Alright fine, we will pray about it again, but our answer was 2. I can promise that. SO we pray about it... probably for the next hour. Both of us are wanting a higher number, but we just can't find one we like. I start to joke that maybe we aren't going high enough? 12? 15? 27? So finally I say, "Heavenly Father, We WANT more baptisms this month, can we get more than 2?" So I start talking to Sister Armknecht and she goes- you know, nothing else is feeling right. I say- what about 5? She goes... YES! So then I tell her the impression I had just had that we COULD get 5. Heavenly Father was GOING to give us 2, but I was impressed that we could get 5, but we have to redouble our efforts. Work harder, work longer, work more efficiently. So we called the Zone Leaders back and told them we "wrestled with God in Almighty Prayer." HAHAHA. But seriously. Heavenly Father hears our prayers. He cares about everything WE care about, simply because we care about it. And he answers our prayers if we only listen, of that I am sure.

I will also tell you about our favorite people we met this week. The "After Buffalos." We knock on the door and the Dad asks, "Hey, what's happening, what's up?" Like 3 times. Sister Armknecht and I say... nothing much every time. So finally he goes, ALRIGHT I know why you are here. I am inactive. There is no two ways around it. HAHAHA. We died. Then he proceeds to tell us that his daughter has been wanting to come to church and be baptized and asked if we could arrange a ride for her. AKA he is staying inactive? We are working on it.

Well, I can't believe there are so many missionaries out from our ward! I am so proud to be a member of the "Monument Army" ??? 

 

Well, I love you! Miss you!

Sister Haley K. Mills

And in honor of Elder Wilson (from my MTC district who got his VISA this week) "STAY GUCCI" (And Sister Evans did too!)

 

Missoula, Montana Sisters Mills, Beckstrand, and Armknecht

 

Negative Eleven

That's the temperature. I wish I was kidding. The worst part is, we've gotten used to it. Did you know that when you walk on snow after -20 it sound like burnt popcorn? And that if you run out to the car without putting on your gloves you get these purple rashes on the backs of your hands and they start to bleed? AND when you get out of the car your shoes melt into the snow and you get stuck and trip in front of strangers?

I do. Now.

I've got to say though, things here are pretty plush. I was so concerned about this area at first. I'll admit. I was in the "red zone" for a while. BUUUT the Lord has been POURING OUT HIS BLESSINGS on this area. We got 5 new investigators this week. We should have 3 baptisms in December. AND I got to see an investigator of mine get BAPTIZED! Best feeling in the world! Desiree. Do you remember 3 weeks ago when we met the most GOLDEN investigator of all times? Well she got baptized on December 7th. AND SURPRISE I did a special musical number and played the piano? I'm not sure what is happening out here... HAHAHA. But seriously it was so amazing to watch Desiree learn and grow in the gospel. She has such a solid testimony and I was SO blessed to be a part of it! Although I got transferred out of the area, I was still close enough to participate in her baptism! 

Speaking of transfers.... I'M STAYING! And so is Sister Armknecht! The whole rest of the District got shaken up, but we are here to stay. Thank goodness. This area can't stop. Won't stop.

Uhh I'm sure tons of other great things have happened, but life is a little bit of a whirlwind! Or should I say blizzard?

AAAAANYWAY. 

I love you muito! 

I miss you muito! 

AND stop complaining about 40 degrees!

Sister Haley K. Mills

 

Sisters Armknecht and Mills

Sisters Mills and Gold with Desiree and her family

 

 

 

 

The Fruits of our Labor

This week was amazing. I don't know how it got so turned around but I am thankful fo DAYS. We got a mormon.org referral. (Those never work out). And so Sister Armknecht is STOKED like... WE ARE GOING TO MEET HIM AND HAVE HIM BAPTIZED IN 3 WEEKS. So I try to dampen her spirits with a couple of mormon.org failure stories- involving punk teenagers and some illegal drugs- before we meet up with this guy, so she doesn't cry or something when it was his friends playing a joke on him. We show up and guess what? He AGREED to be baptized in 3 weeks! Holy cow he is amazing. We teach him about the priesthood and he goes- well that makes sense, like Melchizedek in the Bible? Then he shows up to all three hours of church and participates in the lesson about the "scattering of Israel." He goes- WOW. The Mormon church is the gathering isn't it? Then he sends the whole class on a little scripture chase of all these references on it. THEN we asked him to read like 6 chapters and he goes- I read them all (in one day) and the one that really touched me was the one where my faith is a seed. So I need to plant it. HAAAA! Golden!!! So he is on date for December 21st and Sister Armknecht is glowing. She keeps making fun of me for doubting, but the last one I got the man wouldn't even talk to us!

I'm happy everyone missed me... uhhh... I mean had a good time over Thanksgiving! We went to a member's house who held us hostage to play BINGO for prizes? It was the best. Also, I think we should start that tradition? Presents on Thanksgiving. AND 15 rolls for me. The gifts that keep giving. Like a washer and dryer?! Holy cow I hope they realize how amazing you are! I am so thankful for all the hard work you put into raising Andrew and I and the hard work you continue to put into maintaining relationships with us! You are my favorite parents! Like how I am your favorite daughter? LOVE YOU.

Update on Desiree (my little miracle from the 4th ward a couple of weeks ago.) She is still on date for December 7th. She wants me to sing at her baptism? With Sister Gold... I hope. The spirit must really make my voice sound better than it is because people here love it when I sing? One woman started to cry when Sister Armknecht and I sang "Let the Holy Spirit Guide." Not kidding. 

It's amazing to see so much happening here that I got to be a part of! We talk a ton out here about being "successful" missionaries. Success is measured on our commitment to teach, not our results when we do. That's why seeing the "Fruits of our Labor" is so amazing. Sometimes you just need that little boost when you get to see the difference you have made in peoples' lives! We had another investigator on date for December 21st "Laurie" , but she got scared and called it off. She has been investigating for 22 months. She knows it's true. And with a little faith and fasting I know we can help her to take this great step towards living with her Father in Heaven again.

Eu te amo. MUITO. Sento suas faltas.

Tchau tchau por agora!

SISTER HALEY K. MILLS

PS I am going to buy some winter stuff today. I can't survive on only cardigans and nylons anymore!

 

Sisters Mills and Gold

Sisters Armknecht and Mills and a llama