Dissed

We closed our letter to Haley this week with "See Ya Later Alligator."  So she didn't write a letter back she just wrote, "In a while crocodile!"  So no letter but - she is returning this week from her mission to Brazil and will be giving her homecoming talk in church on Sunday, December 28th at 9am. This will be at the LDS Chapel at 830 East Lehi Road, Mesa.  All are Invited!!

Haley Mills, Sofia Pelegrini, Rachael Hauet

I´ll be home for Natal... I mean Christmas!

I had so many things to say, but your email just blew it all out of the water. WHAT AN AMAZING STORY! I was reading the beginning of the story turning super frustrated (as I'm sure yáll were). So I start reading it to my compy like OH NO look what´s happening at home. SO then we get to the good stuff and I just start to cry. I cant believe you guys got to have a baptism this week! (My uncle got baptized) What an amazing blessing. I was thinking when hearing the story about the missionary side of it. How they probably were knocking doors because they had no one to teach. One of them probably tried to talk the other one out of it. They probably knocked 15 or 20 doors that were immediately slammed in their faces, but Heavenly Father knew who was prepared and where.

I'm so humbled everyday of my mission by everything the Lord does for his children. This week we had 17 investigators at church. Really we had 22, but 5 of them left before sacrament (which here is the last hour of church). President said we broke the mission record. I'm not going to lie, as you could probably tell from my email a few weeks ago we have been having a REALLY hard time lately. But I know that God was just preparing this for us. Preparing us to be even better everyday. Preparing us for the "real world" as we call it here.

Highlights:

-One of our investigators at church was the most ELECT Elizeth that I told you about last week. She announced her baptism to the branch, then got a little mad that we hadn´t announced it yet? AKA she´s amazing.

-One of our young men investigators is in love with me and tried to hug me for a total of 3 minutes straight. While the whole branch laughed and I tried to strong arm him as far as I could. THEN, his friend starts trying to kiss me on the face...

-During branch choir practice I didn't see a part of the stage sticking up and I tripped and fell into the pulpit, which then almost fell over WITH me. ALL while singing. The pianist was laughing so hard she couldn't stop for an uncomfortable amount of time. Everyone asked me if I got hurt and I go- JUST MY PRIDE!

-We won a mission contest this last month and now our zone gets to play volleyball and eat pizza with President and his family this week! Its one of the best "death week" presents ever!

-We had exit interviews with President Farnes yesterday in Sorocaba, and he gave me some great advice about law school, and about real life, and about dating (YUCK). It felt so weird to talk about the real world- especially with President.


Speaking of, all anyone can talk about is that we are going home. Everyone asks us how we are feeling and we switch off saying we are SUPER excited and that we NEVER want to leave. AKA we´ve turned bipolar. I bore my dying testimony in church (there are only like 10 members so we all have to use like 5 minutes every month) and I just started to bawl. Not just cry, but BAWL. 

More than anything I have a testimony that God knows best. That He loves me. I have been reminiscing about that day I knew I had to serve a mission and how I cried because I didn't want to and I knew it would be hard.

HA.

It WAS hard.

Sometimes I just wanted to give up. Sometimes, embarrassingly, I did.

Then when I came back with my tail between my legs, to apologize to God, I LEARNED the truth about the gospel of Jesus Christ.

"Remember: the heavens will not be filled with those who never made mistakes but with those who recognized that they were off course and who corrected their ways to get back in the light of gospel truth." - President Uchtdorf

You never forget a baptism, or a reactivation, or a companion, or your first orange peeling in Brasil, or the time you found someone PREPARED by God. 

So as a full-time missionary I'm arriving at the end of the rope, but I will never stop being a missionary.

I will never forget.

May God be with you til we meet again.

Sister Haley Kristina Mills

And this part is for Uncle Barry - no regrets.

Thanks and Miracles

You´d think with a ton of practice I´d just start these emails right up, but it´s like trying to write about a year of your life in 3 sentances. Yeah. Its that hard.

So in our highlights from this week... our office elders have recently learned that I love politics so I've started recieving regular updates on politics? You could say I'm SUPES greatful.

Speaking of grateful we had THANKSGIVING! WOOOOOO! And when I say thanksgiving in BRASIL, I want to say- Mixed Christmas/thanksgiving? Since they don't have Thanksgiving they made things like Christmas rice (only in Brasil) and some other dish with fruit and flour? I'm not really sure what it was called, but I'm thinking we are a little narrow minded on our food options there in the states. Why have we not been enjoying Christmas rice all this time?! Its fine. I'm bringing recipes.

But really it was the best- we got there and I'm like- WHERE IS THE GRAVY?!?! (Mom- who knew I liked gravy?) So I make it there on the spot (also, who knew I knew how to make it?) and everyone loved it! Julia (she is 14) was like- MOM PUT THIS STUFF ON YOUR POTATOES! And then everyone spent the rest of the night trying to pronounce gravy. SUCCESS.

In other news we had the COOLEST miracle of my whole mission this week. Her name is Elizeth. And it all started with a rain storm, when obviously we were on our way to visit a man so we couldn't go in his house. Sister Hauet and I stop and look at each other for all of 10 seconds trying to decide what to do when I woman comes out of her house and says (translated obviously) "GIRLS! Come inside my house until the rain stops would you?" Ummm obviously yes! So we go in and chat for a little- then I ask her about her family and she starts (I kid you not) BAWLING. She informs us that her daughter died of cancer and then the rest of her family is less than family. And not knowing what to say the compy and I make eye contact. (We sort of have a thing where if we dont know what to say- I talk, like always right?) So I'm like uhhhh... Irmã, I know God loves you.

She LOSES it. She then tells us she prayed the day before that she could know that He was actually there. Long story short we marked her baptism for the day we leave and she is AMAZING.

More next week! LOVE YOU AND MISS YOU!

Poor Wayfaring Sisters of Grief

I didnt know Ashley got married!

Hahahaha. Just kidding. She looks fabulous as always, even better than normal with the temple there in the background! Also tell Ash congrats on FINALLY passing nursing school (and Sister Burk!) it looks like all she needed was to get married? I think thats like a life principle??

Today my compy and I had a little talk about what we would tell our families this week. It went a little something like this-

S. Hauet - "What on EARTH are we going to say?"

Me - "I was thinking along the lines of that expression 'if you don´t have anything nice to say don´t say anything at all. Where does it say that? In the white handbook?'"

S. Hauet - "No...."

But the principle still stands. I will just pass on some wisdom I learned this weekend in our "poor wayfaring sisters of grief" moments.

Elder Orson F. Whitney wrote: “No pain that we suffer, no trial that we experience is wasted... all that we suffer and all that we endure... builds up our characters, purifies our hearts, expands our souls, and makes us more tender and charitable, more worthy to be called the children of God."

We had a lot of- "Father, WHY?" moments this week, and I just decided that when you think you´ve been stretched enough, thats when you get stretched further. Dont think the refiners fire is ever over. Because that´s why we are here. That´s what we have to gain.

We are never alone.

I know that more than ever after this week.

I love you and miss you all more than you can IMAGINE,

Sister Haley K. Mills

Zone Picture

YOMO - you only mission once

First- I cant believe we have one more temple in Arizona! HOLY COW im loving the idea of "Utah South." The only problem is that no one here can say Utah, so they´ll have to wait to annex us until after I go home... kay?

Also, Im loving the sports update considering im such an avid fan (JOKE) but really, its good to hear AZ is repping! Everyone here always asks about futebol americano! Im like... its just like your football, but we score a ton more.

Everytime you write about Andrew Ali Aurora and Jade I secretly say "Triple AJ" so im hoping thats how you are saying it too, to avoid any confusion. Also, its good to hear that Jade is livening up, you know how much a love infants!!!

Also, I sent you a TON of pictures this week. We have been trying to take more, because we ALWAYS FORGET!

So I dont even know where to begin writing this week? We brought 11 people to church this Sunday!!! WOOO! (We have the most investigators on date in the mission. Desculp não desculp) The only problem is they are all teenagers that live on the street of the church. Sooo now we´ve got to "herd cats" as Dad likes to say about keeping teenagers on track.

Cesar passed his interview and then convinced the elder to move his date back a week? Im not even kidding. We are on killing our elders currently. They do so much great stuff buuut ive told them they are grounded. As you always predicted ive turned into the mission mother! They love it!

In hilarious news there was an old woman who didnt want to let us into her house this week? Like... the first person on my whole mission that thought we were scary and "potentially dangerous." She told us about these "young men in suits who say they are evangelizing and then ROB YOU!" It sounded just like elders... BUT then she let us in and she was MARVELOUS. Super funny and in the end she apoligized for thinking we were "strange robbers". Yeppp... you only mission once!

One of our "rapazes da rua" asked me how to say "I want to kiss you" in english. So I go... wait KISS? And he goes "Yeah, KISS YOU" So I say in english "kiss you." So he turns right back and yells out at me as we walk away "KISSSSS YOUUUUU" Hahahahahaha. Dont worry my companion has been guarding me. And ive been trying to fatten up, maybe they wont like me anymore? But really, I havent been trying, but everyone keeps telling me ive gotten fat? So im just trying to roll with it.

Oh and speaking of rapazes (aka young men), one named "Peterson" was hanging out in the street and we pass by like RUNNING for another appointment. I yell out- "Are you reading the book of mormon?" And he goes- " YEAH, Im on page 525." We stop dead. I go... "LIES" He goes - "No I started where you marked and read until there. (I do the math... we marked on page 499...) "Okay what did you read about???" "The water and wine that Christ gave everyone." ............ Yeah... that just happened.

Other than that I finally finished the Book or Mormon in English again so now im focusing on finishing in Portuguese before I go home. We had a super good talk with a less active that served a mission and is just down in the dumps. We set goals with him and it got us thinking a ton about the goals that we have for our "real" lives. Sometimes we just forget where we are going and who we want to be, we let the wind blow us in whatever direction it goes. But, when we move intentionally towards who we want to be, we have a MUCH larger chance of arriving there. Being less scathed and tattered. I know that to be a fact, Ive seen it in my life and yours!

Com amor,

Miss you MONTIS (aka a ton),

Sister Haley Mills

 

 

The LAST transfer

So as it turns out the closer you get to going home the less you want to. And the more. Profound isn't it?

But really.

I'm dying over here. We got a call Saturday night from the office and Elder McArthur (I'm gonna kill him) starts by telling me I'm being emergency transferred. 3 days before transfers. "Sister, é seguinte, vamos ter um transferência emergência..... JUST KIDDING!" Then my district leader (him as well) comes on the line and says I'm being transferred back to Alphaville. 

After 2 days of jokes, we finally we learned that Sister Hauet and I will die here (end their mission time) together! CAN YOU SAY TRUNKY? (aka we started packing our bags today) This transfer is only 5 weeks, and we keep saying things like... "Quando nos voltarmos..." (when we go home) And we have been super stressed out about finding things to bring home. Everything here is imported from the US... ironic? I'll keep you posted.

In other news we had 10 INVESTIGATORS AT CHURCH! And we were put in the weekly mission newsletter? It's fine. we´ll just die on fire. (But really, the showers here have electrical cords that heat up the water and today I almost got electrocuted aaaand it started a baby fire? So I RUN out of the bathroom screaming and my companion and I end up having a heart to heart about dying on our missions? THEN we forgot about the shower til just now- so don't you worry your pretty little minds, we´ll maybe talk to someone about it, and they´ll maybe do something about it?) But back to the point! The secret we found this last week... ONLY TEACH PEOPLE on the rua da igreja (street of the church) ANNND they have to be young men who have crushes on you. THEN you invite them to be baptized and they actually LOVE church and start reading the Book of Mormon.... that really happened.

In other news our favorite investigator "Cesar" accepted to be baptized this next Saturday (alone because his mom is struggling to stop smoking). And he says this, (obviously translated from Portuguese) "I will, but I need to confirm with God." Ahh how much we love him. He is always putting his life in God´s hands. I think sometimes we forget to do that. We forget to say - God permitting. We forget to ask God. One thing Ive learned is that God has a plan for all of us. And like that Mormon message from Elder Bednar, (https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2012-01-012-patterns-of-light-spirit-of-revelation?category=mormon-messages-2012&lang=eng) he just gives you enough for the next step. What does that mean? That you have to ask again after you took that step. That is, if you want to stay on the right path!

Te amo,

God be with you til we meet again!

Sister Haley Mills

 

Sisters Hauet and Mills

 

Rain, Rain, it´s another day so...

Come again?

Im not kidding it is so blasting hot. And humid. And NOT RAINING! Everyone has starting saying that God is punishing them for forgetting him. It´s so bad people are stealing water trucks and beating up the drivers? Im pretty sure our zone leaders and district leader were without water for a whole week. We could smell them from here. Kidding. Sort of.

So my companion was sick this week as she has been recovering from pneumonia? Its fine. So I got my second hospital trip this week and in place of telling you about all our miracles, which probably would be WAY more boring but WAY more spiritual for you- im going to pull a standard Sister Mills and just tell you about the craziest day as of yet in Brasil.

So we get on the bus and a man literally SCREAMS OUT- SIT HERE DONA! (Dona is like a super respectful title). He has a TON of stuff with him and the bus is CRAMMED FULL. Like old people with canes are standing up. So I try to decline super awkwardly and he like pushes me into this seat. THEN all the other men are looking at Sister Hauet like.... worth it to give up my seat or...?

So finally someone decides to give her their seat. So Im talking with the woman next to me and she tells me she recently didnt graduate college because she failed by one point in english. So Im like- i can TOTALLY help you with that. Speaking english is one thing ive GOT. So I tell her all about the Book of Mormon and actually never help her at all with english...? BUT she decides to help us find the hospital seeing as we had never been there and Sorocaba is HUGE.

She is waiting to get off with us at the next stop and I start to talk to a group of young men. She looks right at me and says "SHYRUP!" So after like 5 minutes I determine she was either saying "syrup" or "shut up" so I go with the latter and stay quiet. After we get off she tells us that those young men are in rehab for drugs (there were like 15 of them) and that if they knew I was American she doesnt know what would happen. She just had a bad feeling about it. So I told her I would TOTALLY vouch for her to pass her english class seeing as she saved us. In ENGLISH.

Then she paid for our next bus! Which was a huge blessing because me and my companion literally didnt have enough money. We were planning on trying to find a bank or ask a member for a ride or something, but we were literally 6 reais short. We said a prayer before we left that everything would work out. BLESSINGS. Also, I dont even want to get into the fact that we left the house without having enough money to return. HAHAHA. In real life... NEVER.

So then we actually make it to the hospital where they dont want to let me into the x-ray and exam room because im not family? Sooo we explain the sitch to a sweet little woman who works there. She gives me permission but says if they try to kick me out say that Sister Hauet doesnt speak Portuguese. So we spend the rest of the day like half chatting in english to through them off our tail.

The best part was the doctor who said- I am fluent in english! Then proceeds to tell us he was in "Aranha" last week. Only after the conversation we understand that "Aranha" is ATLANTA! We die.

Oh THEN the next bus we entered gave us a free bus ride... sooo... God works in mysterious ways. Seriously, never have I felt so blessed as I did this week when God found a way to take care of us. I know we are here on his errand and I know he loves us (me a little more... you know?).

Te amo,

Saudades,

Sister Haley Mills

PS Happy one year and 4 months to MEEEE. And the 16th I´ll have only one month left.

PPS STOP TRYING TO MAKE ME TRUNKY!

PPPS IM SERIOUS!!!!

Sister Mills with her last companion Sister Conley at the Campinas Temple

Halloween, whats that?

Sooo as is turns out Halloween doesn´t exist here. But everyone wants it to? The biggest question we recieved this week was.... (well really second biggest because first they want to know if Im German) "What is Halloween like?" Its super awkward because they always want to know what I was for every year since birth practically. Sooo shout out to Garrin- people love hearing about the year I was a tree hugger. Also, "tree hugger" isnt a phrase here, so I end up explaining how people who recycle - hug trees? And dress like they are from the 70s. Im pretty sure we are going to see 30,000 tree hugging outfits at the ONLY Halloween party that exists here. And when I say "see" I mean hear about. Dont freak out- we are SUPES obedient.

So ever since Sister Hauet showed up (comps AGAIN!) things just happen to us. (Or we make them happen, whatever) So we were leaving the branch activity Wednesday and all of our little children we bring to church every week were playing in the lobby. So as we leave I yell out to them "BEIJOS!"  (kisses.) And then one of our young men that hang out in the street but have started going to activities (16 year old) happened to be on the other side of the wall and yells back "BEIJO!." Our branch loved it obviously. So ive learned (once again) to be careful with my words. Its gonna be "tchau" always and forever.

Speaking of awkward, we have a spouse of a recent convert who like to drink. Like... A TON. So we pass by the other night and he is WASTED. We start talking about The Book of Mormon and he looks at Sister Hauet and goes- YOU ARENT SISTER CONLEY! And starts to BAWL. I mean, wet, crazy person crying. He goes on about how he misses her and how she was always so great, reading the Book of Mormon for him because he can´t read. Then he goes- but really you look JUST LIKE SISTER CONLEY (to Sister Hauet). We think he is crazy, say a quick prayer, and the next like 3 people we see talk about how much Sister Hauet and Sister Conley look the same. Including someone who ONLY knows Sister Conley and started talking to Sister Hauet about her problems... Transfers are the best (aka hilarious.)

So this week we had a baptism planned for a family that lives close to the church. The Dad had been withholding permission for his wife and two kids to be baptized for about a month now. So last week Sister Conley and I decided to just call the Elders and FAST. So the Elders show up, ask to speak to the Dad and convince him to give permission for them to be baptized. They were all interviewed and the date set for this Saturday. WELL, we show up to see how they are doing before their baptism and the Dad FREAKS OUT. Says he wants to keep drinking and doesnt want his wife to make him stop. So long story short our baptism didnt happen. We are thinking about just fasting until it happens? Ill let you know how that goes.

The other day we were marking a date for baptism with someone we found in the area book. She has already been to church like 4 times (like 5 years ago) so we mosey on over there and mark a date for her to be baptized. She goes on about how she knows our message is true but could never stop smoking. So I go- "God parted the Red Sea, you dont think he can help you stop smoking?" Then Sister Hauet chimes in- "God created the WORLD IN 7 DAYS!" We all look at her.... she goes- "So you can stop smoking." HAHAHA. And with that Neuza accepted to be baptized. And we have a new favorite catch line.

We were with one of the families we are teaching and the mom goes- "I read the part you marked but I didnt understand ANYTHING." So we are all confused and ask why and she shows us that we marked Alma chapter 31.... Then her son goes, Sister Mills marked 32 for me! And Sister Hauet starts to die laughing. As it turns out she is recovering from pnemonia and was like... delirious during our lesson and marked the wrong chapter. Go read Alma 31. You´ll die.

Also one of our investigators didnt go to church, so we pass her house (she is 16) and ask her what happened. We start to talk about the Catholic Church (where her family goes) and I say "the catholic church is good, but the Church of Jesus Christ is..." (trying to think of words) she goes, "TRUE! I know!" Probably the cutest thing of our life.

We also had stake conference this week where Maria Eduarda (our recent convert- she´s 16) told me she wants to serve a mission!!! So you could say this week has been fabulous. And you wouldnt be lying.

Sister Haley Mills

BTW- tell Unkie he better visit! SAUDADES dele! (Aka i miss him a ton.)

PS im so excited to go to all the different temples that are so close! Tell Mom to start working on names, we are going to have a festa!!!

PPS Im dying. Rory and Jade are SO STINKING CUTE!!! Rory is SO BIG!

Are we there yet?

When we teach the plan of salvation we always say things like- "and then we all die. its just part of life."

But I'm gonna be honest. It´s still scary. And obviously, I'm talking about a spiritual death... not real death here.

Yesterday we received a call from the office that Sister Conley will be emergency transferred. Tomorrow. Along with like 20 sisters. So Sister Hauet will be my new companion and who knows whats gonna happen at transfers in 2 weeks! But we all thought we were safe to die here in Porto Feliz! 

Just when you get comfortable... well... I´ve learned that God is not a comfortable God. So we just keep going! Like that super annoying fish on Finding Nemo. I know you were going there too.

So on to real talk. This was my week in a nutshell:

We were on divisions it went a little like this- 

the irmã said super innocently- "sister do you want some natural fruit juice?"    

"OBVIOUSLY"    

So I start to drink and im just like... "mmmm irmã this is SO GOOD (lie) what is in it?" 

"abacaxi, cenora, laranga, e... beterraba" 

So Im like... okay, pinapple, carrot, orange, and some fruit they only have in Brasil?

"mmm irmã really this is so good, I'm just trying to figure out what the flavor is"

So then her returned missionary son goes... "FOUND IT!" and shows me the google translate on his phone while everyone laughs and i try to wipe my tongue off on my plate of beans and rice.

Ladies and gents... I drank beet juice. 

RAUNCH.

Sooo as it turns out beet in Portuguese is "beterraba." And I'll never forget it. We can all learn from this- learn bad words AND gross foods in other languages first things first.

Also on divisions (it was a good day) we were marking a baptismal date and the girl says (like they all do) "but I was already baptized!?" 

So we say like we do EVERYTIME, "BUUUT if God shows you that he restored his church, that the authority to baptize is here on the earth, then will you be baptized?" 

So we explain we-have-the-unique-authority-to-baptize-here-on-the-earth and she goes again, "but I can be baptized again?" "YESSS, but this time with proper authority!" 

So she finally says yes and we mark a date.

And then she says- so last time i was baptized by elders and this time sisters? 

HAHAHAHAHA. Turns out she hasn't been to church in 4 years and was embarrassed to tell us. BUT the good news is she said she´ll go to church Sunday? I'll keep you updated. Hahahaha.

We were interviewing a family to be baptized (I'll talk about it next week probs) and we were explaining to the 10 year old, Renata, all about the word of wisdom to prepare her to be interviewed after her brother. Their Dad wasn't giving permission, so the mom sat down with the elders and him and finally told him straight up that she wants to get baptized and that she will THIS SATURDAY. So obviously during this time we didn't want to be there, so we run into the street with the kids and wait for the elders to say its safe to enter. Hahaha. So we are like- God gave us a law for our health. Do you think God knows better than us? (Yes, duh) So he gave us this law to follow...  Then Elder Perkins comes out to interview them and I go- "Renata, he´s only going to ask you about the things we talked about today." And she says REAL quiet to me- "But you already told us all the answers!!!!"

So in the events list for this week, I drank beet juice, tried to mark a baptismal date with a less active, AND cheated on a baptismal interview. Run and tell that.

Beijo

Amo vocês,

Sister Mills

 

 

Feliz in Porto!

Im gonna talk about cockroaches again. Forgive me.

But also... desculpnãodesculp.

So we were talking a lot about how we missed our house this week. As it turns out exercizing, studying, eating lunch, writing in the area book, and sleeping ALL in your bed everyday wasnt as liberating as we were thinking. But anyway, we were thinking about how every day we found 1 or 2 cockroaches in our house. But last week we found like 50. So we were talking about perspective.

When you have a house, you want a mansion. Obviously, you never want cockroaches, but if you have them you only want 1 or 2. Sometimes we just have to be grateful for what we have. It can always be worse. And it could always get better! So thats what our cockroaches taught us this week. And if you are sad now that you didnt get a lesson on perspective from cockroaches in an area near you, just remember, be careful what you wish for!

Oh and to continue our analogy. We had 15 young men that hang out in the street come to our activity last week. And im not exaggerating. Looks like we were setting our sites low before! Just invite all the rapazes (young men) in the rua (street). They love us Americans! One even told me we could have black babies? Dont worry, a member guarded me the rest of the activity.

Also, highlights from our week-

-we have one family that is ELECT. Its like a dream when we visit them. I wish I could even explain it. Just remind me when I get home to tell you about Cida and Cesar. Its like they are ACTING they are THAT perfect.

-we invited a man in a random store to church and he went?! Also, we forgot to tell him what time it was (all star missionaries!) and he showed up at 7am to make sure he didnt miss it! The best part is he stayed all three hours, said he would come back next week and then DISAPPEARED! 

-we decided to bater portas the street of the church (way easier to get these people there right?) and we marked 3 baptismal dates? If you served a mission you KNOW how many times missionaries have already knocked all those doors. Milagre mesmo.

-also, Giovana (that we baptized 2 weeks ago) got called to be in the young womens presidency! Nevermind that we now have more leaders than young women, a gente will just baptize more! BUT seriously SHE IS THE BEST.

Other than that, our week was the BEST. SUPER tiring, but we got to go to the temple so TOTALLY worth losing our preperation day!

Te amo!

Saudades!

Sister Haley Mills

PS - I imagine that hell isnt as hot as it currently is here. Im not kidding...

PPS - I forgot to respond about the indian fry bread- but its sooo easy and everyone loves it. Thank Uncle Aaron for me. Everyone has now given me permission to marry! HA!

PPPS - We had pancakes too. Thanks mom. They were DELISHHH.

PPPPS - you threw out that scripture reference like a pro dad!

 

 

QUE ECKA!

Im a total noob and was SO excited to go to the temple in Campinas today that I left my planner AND my temple recommend in our hotel... AWKWARD...

Buuut I will do my best to tell you about the most thrilling week of missionary work ever.

Oh did I say missionary work? I meant to say BARATAS. I know, you were thinking I would be all fluffy like the resto do mundo and talk about conference and everything uplifting and wonderful that happened this week. And I will. But it all starts with BARATAS. AKA cockroaches? 

Sooo as it turns out we have an eternal family of cockroaches living in our walls? Like... I hope they are sealed eternally because we had to kill 49 of them (and one beetle) when they decided to make a synchronized attack this week. QUE ECKA!

So im taking a shower suuupes happy that last week was transfers so we dont have to wake up with the roosters for district meeting. I turn off the shower, put on clothes, put my towel on my head, aaaaand COCKROACHES start a synchronized bomber attack! We had to count the dead, because when we called the office they thought we were exaggerating. So as it turns out there is a huge cave under our shower and they made themselves a home there. Oh and any day our shower could have collapsed and we would have been seriously injured? AND/OR died. I imagine it like the tv shows were a herd of ants carry a giant, stake them to the ground with miniature ropes and what not. That could have happened to us!!! 

BUT, thanks to my "the squeeky wheel gets the grease" theory. After calling the Presidents wife, we are in a hotel AND they are making us a brand new bathroom! AND WE DIDNT DIE! Can you say BLESSSSSINGS?!

Speaking of blessings. ELDER GODOY! What a grande benção. General Conference! But fo´reals. I have SO much more respect for the rest of the world these days because it turns out the live translations to other languages are HORRIBLE. They talk SUPER fast or SUPER slow, with weird accents and you can see President Holland up there pulpit pounding and crying about ofertas de jejum?!? And you are just like... how is this happening?! Our guy is speaking in a monotone voice and missing every 4th word of what he is saying! SOOO props to the rest of the world. And props to #genconf for doing something amazing and letting Elder Godoy speak to us in Portuguese! Everyone after was like WOW he is an amazing speaker! I had to cry a little in my english speaking heart that I missed everyone else that spoke in the same respect. But im proud to be a brazillian (adopted. Desculpnãodesculp) and rough it trying to imagine why elder holland was talking about fasting with tears in his eyes!

Other than that, our 3 baptisms planned for this week are on the fritz, they remind me a little of the "Hot and Cold" song by Katy Perry. Oh well. We are trying. And after watching conference I always gain a little more testimony to try a little harder. I loved there words on personal testimonies, families, and our loving prophet. I hope you all watched it, BUUUT if you didnt get a chance, check out Elder Godoys talk, and get someone to translate it for you REAL GOOD. 

Are you worthy of the blessings you want to recieve?

Get on it.

Love yáll so much, and next week you are gonna get a reeeeal cute picture of more than 50 cockroaches (the kill count up-ed after lunch.)

 

 

HAPPY DAY... TUDO BEM!

So you know how every thing good has a theme song? As it turns out the voting for Brazil is coming up here in the beginning of October. And the way they vote is every candidate has a number. So like they have a husband and a wife running and their numbers are 5555 and 55555. So when you go to vote, you dont have names there you just vote for the number? SO they have these cars that pass by every couple of minutes with a little jingle about their numbers (SUPER LOUD), our current favorite is 7777. "seite... seite... seiteSEITE."  BUT the point of this story is that we have our only little theme song that we sing like 10,000 times a day. "And should we DIE, before our journeys through, HAPPY DAY, TUDO BEM!" 

Now you are probably thinking- thats awful! But im gonna tell you why we love it. We were running in the street the other day to make a huge activity and it started to rain. And I mean POUR (you have a little inkling of what thats like lately I think!). We didnt have coats with us or anything because it was after a conference in a different city so we came home and just went to work. We were SOAKING wet but we couldnt exactly not arrive in the church, so we were trying to run in between every covering we could find. Slipping and sliding and just thinking- ONLY ON THE MISSION would you do this. So you know the phrase YOLO? I always say- "YOMO" (you only mission once) and we just do whatever it is that is hard. But this day, we needed a little more pioneer encouragement. So ever since we start singing, AND SHOULD WE DIE, BEFORE OUR JOURNEYS THROUGH? HAPPY DAY! TUDO BEM!

So this theme continued the next day when we were walking to our lunch appointment. They dont have trash cans here. Like in the states you put your trash can out on the curb and the trash man picks it up right? WELL, here, everyone has a metal bucket? And a couple days a week people run around behind a truck and collect it all. Another important detail- Brazillians are SUPER short. So we are walking along talking about something or other and my companion WHACKS her head on one of the lixeiras that was like... floating in the air right where her head was? So she starts to bleed profusely. Like its all over her arm and hand and head and she is just chilling there like... AND SHOULD WE DIEEEE BEFORE OUR JOURNEYS THROUGH!!! Hahaha. So Im trying not to laugh because im thinking- shes gonna need stitches! So I start batendo portas (knocking doors) and asking really strange things like- "irmão, is there a woman in your house? No?! Okay just kidding! Tchau!" So we go from house to house with the whole street starting to panic until we find a woman in a house (we´ve got rules ya know?) AND we manage to get it to stop bleeding and she didnt even need stitches! BLESSINGS! Buuuut she still has a huge egg on her head where she hit. But its all good because the next day we passed by for her to pose for a picture there! Youll be recieving that soon!

In other news I tried to kill a moth by slamming our bedroom door, the moth made it back inside (FAIL) but the door got stuck... So at like 10:25pm my companion was stuck outside of our room taking a shower and I was stuck inside. WITH A MOTH! So my companion is like THROWING herself again the door and Im on the other side freaking out on the phone with the mission secretary. Im all- Elder Curtis DONT REPEAT this! He goes- yeah right this is going in the mission newsletter! AAAAND as it turns out ALL the office elders could hear because it was on loud voice! OOPS! Desculpnaodesculp! The good news though is that we found where elders in the past chipped away the wall (so not the first time?) and we managed to wedge the door open with a screw driver! BEM VINDO A BRASIL! HAPPY DAY! TUDO BEM!

Oh and we had a miracle baptism. Its fine. This week has been pretty legit. Her name is Giovana and the elders taught her like 5 years ago. I have a huge testimony in baptizing people in the area book so against the will of all my companions we visit everyone that has already been to church. ANDDD Giovana didnt have any interest the first time. We marked to come back. And she was all- I was reading the Book of Mormon and I had a dream that its all true. She went to church and then we baptized her all in 20 days. Sister Conley kept saying- this is a MIRACLE! And Im just like- when is ANYTHING in our life not a miracle these days?

Com amor,

Saudades,

Sister Haley Mills

PS we survived transfers, our next goal is to die here together. ONLY 1 MORE TRANSFERRRRR! AHHHHH.

 

Multi-Zone Conference

Giovana Baptism

 

 

Lets start a church or something

So lets start with the sad. Our baptism for this week (Ashley) decided the day of the interview that she didnt want to be baptized anymore. She still came to be interviewed but spent the hour explaining to our District Leader that she just doesnt want to be baptized. (She had been super excited now for 2 months to be baptized.) Sooo em fin we cancelled the baptism. We think someone talked her out of being baptized, buuuut she wont own up to who so all we can do is hope and pray that when the time is right she´ll remember her testimony of Jesus Christ and where she can find him. It´s amazing to me how much the Lord loves us. That as we continue to sin and make bad choices the Lord continues to lead us in the right direction with continual chances. He sent His Son to die for us because he so loved the world. So its hard to leave Ashley like this but I know she is in the hands of the Lord, who knows best.

Speaking of the Lord knowing best. One of the biggest blessings of my whole mission happened this week. In the way of a small simple miracle. We planned to break in our new branch mission leader taking him to a lesson with a recent convert. We get there and the house is pitch black without any windows open. We call him and it turns out he forgot? Normal. But awkward with members there. So we decide to just go to our next lesson and we invite our branch mission leader and his wife along. Hoping and praying that our next appointment would be there and would have interest enough not to be weirded out by 4 peoples clapping at their door. So we show up and the wife goes- I was reading the Book of Mormon and what a marvelous book! She goes on the say she believes in everything. That wasnt the miracle part (this is brazil after all) buuuut what was so amazing was our branch mission leader baring his testimony about how he came to know the truth. I have confidence that it was the first time in 10 years he bore his testimony. And it blew me away. He spoke of the day 10 years ago he saw 2 teenage boys in white shirts and ties selling something in the street (or so he thought) they passed the house and then returned and knocked their door. They gave them a book (FOR FREE) Haaaaaa. And he read it and HE KNEW. I know that we can all read it and know. That´s why this was such a miracle. It reminded me of the little things.

In other news we´ve decided to move people to our city. If we cant baptize enough to make a ward here we will just move people who have already been baptized? So now everytime we pass houses for sale i take a picture and write down the address. Then every Sunday we give the list to our Branch President (who doesnt live here....) Everyone here has a phrase- (if God wants) "se Deus quiser" and my companion and I always say- "Ele quer" (He wants) Hahaha. But seriously. We can help out a little riiiight?

Also fun fact. Here in the lon house where we write our families the guy who runs it LOVES 80s music from the US. So every Monday I hear Betty Davis Eyes and under my breath sometimes I sing/hum the words. My companion is QUITE impressed with my 80s pop music knowledge. She is also SUPER excited to see the snow shovel and cheese grater dance moves that go along with it (Dad).

Wooof sorry this email is like 10 million pages long. BUT I saved the best for last. WE ARE GOING TO START A NEW BRANCH OF THE CHURCH IN A VILLAGE IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE!!!! Let me explain. We have a less active member that sent a Book of Mormon to her sister. And her sister has a HUGE family. So they asked for another. Then they started reading the Book of Mormon to the whole village? (Ohhh Brasil) So then they started calling our member (Neide) every week to move there and start the church for them? So thank goodness she has her wits about her and called us up. She is like- sooo we need someone with the priesthood to go baptize this whole village. Because I told them about the church and how you have teenage boys with white shirts and ties that go around preaching. So this whole group went to the middle of their village and waited in a park for weeks on end to see these missionaries. Then they started going to the nearby villages to find a church. As it turns out the nearest church is 5 hours away (we called the zone leaders to look it up for us) ANNNND now our President will need to call that mission President and maybe we´ll baptize a whole town. Miracles na? But fo´reals. Only in Brasil.

Amo vocês.

Saudades de vocês.

Sister Haley Mills

NOSSA!

The weekly cockroach kill count was 4 here. 4 is a week high, I think they like the heat. THE ONLY ONES THAT DO! And by the way im starting to regret leaving Montana.... thats when you know its hot.

Highlights from this weeeeek... other than the cockroaches.... just kidding.

So my companion had the stomach flu! Our week was mainly spent dying without food in our house. With lots of throw up. What blessings right? But actually it was awesome because I got to read the Liahona! I read ALL of the past general conference in one day and was chomping at the bit to go tell people about what I had learned. We also gave talks about obedience in the branch Sunday. That's the problem with... I mean BLESSING of branches- you get to speak like once a month! I told about when Jessica Andrew Josh and I went camping and Jessica got stuck in that bush. How you told us we couldn't leave sight of the camp, but we did it anyway. I talked about how God gives us commandments because he knows better than us. Just like parents with children, he is OUR father. So I brought it back together talking about how we need to trust that our Father has more perspective than us. And if we cant see the danger on the other side of creek, it doesn't mean its not there! Obviously everyone loved it, and afterward I received a ton of parenting advice! HAAAAA.

Also this week our branch called a branch mission leader! The good news is that he has been returning to church after 10 years of inactivity? The bad news is he was inactive after like 3 months of membership so we get to field questions like- for the baptism you need 3 priesthood members... could it be women?!

HAHAHAHA. But we love him so much and he is really excited. We´ll just have to start a weekly apostasy list of things that happen. You are gonna LOVE ITTTT!

Also we saw a TON of miracles this week with one investigator asking - But how can I KNOW which church has the authority of God?! GOLDENNNN. 

Also I know I always have to include a good story about men trying to kiss me. So this time Ill tell you about a man that stopped on his bike and almost fell over trying to kiss me on the lips? The good news is that he said he´ll go to church Sunday! HAAAAA. Also, he wants to marry me, which here is like 300 dollars. So at least he isn't super poor? You always knew I was a gold digger!

But in all seriousness. I know that God loves us. I know that he wants us to return to live with him. I know the purpose of this world is to have families and seal them together for eternities to have eternal happiness and joy in the life to come. I know that without this the world would be utterly wasted, and for this I am here sharing that message with the world.

LOVE YOU AND MISS YOU!

Sister Haley Mills

 

Sisters Conley and Mills

 

I'm crazy but you like it!

So my companion and I are flighty and trunky TOGETHER because we both received our flight plans this week. And we BOTH fly through Atlanta. And like... 30 more sisters. So you can say that will be a party, and you definitely wont be wrong!

I'm so glad you already reserved my spot so SOON after I get home to speak! Ive been practicing my English a little bit lately praying, so I hope I'll be able to talk normal? Just no one make fun of me okay? The other day Sister Conley and I were practicing different ways to invite people to be baptized in the street and she goes- I think we need to be more (in Portuguese)... "sneaky" (in English)? and I go... "sleuth" (in English)? Then we have a 2 hour conversation about if the word sleuth is a real English word or if we are going crazy. So... that's just a little sneak peak at what you all are in for!

Also, we will have Christmas in casa?! I can't even believe my little ears! Does that mean we have to buy presents? What do you guys want from Brazil? I think I'll just bring home Paçoca, Goiabada, and Coshinhas. Ask Sister DePaula about them, they are the best things in the world! 

Anyway, lets get to the good stuff. We baptized INGRID this week! It was probably the cutest baptism of my whole life! She was so excited to be baptized! She told us after I'm baptized (with hand motions) "I can't SMOKE, and I can't DRINK, not even BEER!" CUTEST THING EVER. Also, she was praying after a lesson we had with her and she goes- "Please bless me with... i have no idea (sei lá! Saude?!), health?!" ...maybe you had to be there? It was hilarious in Portuguese.

Also, favorites of the week are one man stopping us in the road to ask for my hand in marriage and I'm just chilling there drinking my açai. My companion is literally freaking out (because she is only understanding half of what he is saying) but she knew it was something about my beautiful eyes and hair?? Hahaha. So I wait for him to finish and go- thanks so much, but we are running late, you are always welcome in the church. Then my companion goes- I don't think I understood what he was saying....? Hahaha. 

In other news it turns out the 7th of September is the 4th of July here? WOOHOO for learning Brazilian history? ALSO, as it turns out NO ONE goes to church? Including members? So our little branch had like 20 people and half of them are from other cities who have callings to come help a gente out. It was so sad because this branch has literally been dying for 12 years, and yesterday everyone saw how bad it is. People started giving DYING cliché testimonies like... "I know the church is true, We just have to keep hoping more people will see that." It was awful because our little baptism was like- why is everyone so sad? There are a TON of people here! A little perspective can turn any situation for the better right? Also we taught an orphanage and a pastor this week, so we are thinking we can just have a big baptism of like... 100 people at once?

One thing Elder Audikitis said when he was here- "God is happy with you, but he is not satisfied." I was thinking about the implications in our lives this statement has. He is happy with you, but is he yet satisfied with you? We can do more, we can be more, and it is my testimony that this comes through the atonement of Jesus Christ.

Saudades de vocês,

Te amo, BEIJOS,

Sister Haley Mills

The week of MILAGRES (miracles)

Okay, lie- they are ALL weeks of miracles, but this week- WOO did we see the milagres!

The first can be that I already knew about baby Jade on SATURDAY! We were on our way to our baptism with a recent convert named Sofia. She is fluent in English and her DREAM is to live in Mesa, Arizona (I have no idea why- but its just so perfect that we live there righhht?) So she said she was trying to find me on Facebook and she found DAD. And he had a picture with a baby! So she goes- you want to see I downloaded it for you! BABY JADEEEE! Ohhh que benção! I am so happy that it all happened so simply for Ali and that we have one more bebezinha in the family! She´ll be fun soon I just know it!

But really- our week- it just rocked! We baptized Maria Eduarda and it was so awesome! She was terrified of the water and it hasn't rained for a long time so our swimming pool (slash baptismal font) was filled like... to my knees. So we used the biggest man in the branch to just drop her down there and literally lunge her back up! HAAAA! But it was amazing how the spirit was there even though the situation was... a little less than perfect. But Maria Eduarda is really such a gem. She was laughing about the swimming pool after and being such a good sport. On Sunday she received the gift of the holy ghost and in her blessing they said she would be a huge help for this branch! So everyone is excited about that! And now the branch has two young women! HA!

Also, this week we had mission tur! AKA Elder Aidukitis (sp?) came here and did a little fireside/devotional with us! It was AMAZING. Did you know that when members of the 70 talk the spirit like... swirls around them? Just kidding... sort of. He was SO inspirational and he taught us so much! One thing I loved that he talked about was when he was a mission president one set of elders brought 100 non members to church in a little baby branch. And everyone was freaking out because they didn't have room for all of them in the church. This was less than 15 years ago and now they have 3 wards there! So me and Sister Conley go... VAMOS! 

So our goal now is to have the whole building filled with investigators.... we´ll see how this goes! HA! I think it would be better to have the whole room filled with baptized members? We´re working on it. We have 2 baptisms planned for this week and mais 1 for the next week! WOOOOO!

OH and the other day we talked with this group of teenagers in the street- we are like- can we come by another day and visit? They go- ya, there are a ton of us in the orphanage! HAAA! So essentially we are going to fix a whole bunch of broken families and there will be a bonitinho happy ending!

ALSO, in the lon house right now... Do you really want to hurt me- is playing. Like from the 80s. DAD you would love it here!

I had a ton more, but for some reason I am becoming boring as well!

Amor, beijos, e saudades!

Sister Haley Mills

Sisters Mills, Mayorga, Sares, and Armstrong

WOOHOO KISS ON THE LIPS!

So lets start off this week with the best news ever.

I got kissed.

An open mouth kiss from a drunk woman in the street.

Just... your welcome.

So in real news, I'm in Happy Harbor! Or in good ol' Portuguese - PORTO FELIZ! Thats right, 5 months later I finally moved and OH was it time. I loved Santana de Parnaíba, but now I have a new challenge! My new companion is Sister Conley from Nevada City, California and she has been here in Brasil for only 3 months, BUT has the same time in the mission as me! AKA we are a party!  And by party I mean she is like an obedient diligent robot who I LOVE. She visa waited in Eugene Oregon, so we have some great freezing to death stories to share. Which is perfect because OH MY GOODNESS it is HOT than inferno here! 

Our mission is split into two halves (teams) The winners (wherever I am) and... JUST KIDDING. The interior and the capital. So everyone always wants to serve in the capital because it has Walmart, temple trips, and well... people? So I WAS there and now I've been banished to the interior of São Paulo! And as it turns out it is SO HOT here! It was freezing in the capital! I already have tan lines from like 4 days here! We have a baby ramo here that hasn't really had any baptisms in years, BUT the good news is that we already have HUGE plans here and people to bring to the truth!

The first is Maria Eduarda! She has 15 years... I mean she is 15. Awkward. And she will get baptized this week! We asked her why she wants to be baptized and she said- I want to be clean and follow Christs example. If that isnt the cutest thing you've ever heard... youre cray. So when I arrived she was a little scared off by the church because the sisters tried to baptize her in a week, but I made some jokes about how we just want everyone to be happy with us and she accepted a date to be baptized this week! WOOOO! Then in church the President said- and we have a baptism this week, the name of the young woman is Duda. Stand up! HAHAHA. I pat her on the back and say- DESCULPA, how embarrassing! MAS, desculpnãodesculp, she will help this branch so much! I know that this church is true, and that its Gods will for it to grow!

Buttt other than that we walked. A LOT. I've never worked so hard in my life. And im new blood here so the bug bites will start to die off here in the next few weeks! As it turns out white skin is their favorite flavor? 

TE AMO! Saudades de vocês!

Sister Haley Mills

PS tell Jade to come OUTTTT she has to be fun before I get home!

 

Sisters Mills and Mayorga

 

One moreee!

"Sooo remember that time when all we ate were... tangerines... dooo dadooo da dooo dooooo." - Regina Spektor.

But really. 

You know there is something really hard about writing every week, because the mission is one of those- you had to be there things. I try to explain in the best I can but its just one of those things you have to understand. There were 6000 ups and 6000 downs and interestingly enough the words "up" and "down" don't exist here. its the same as above and below... sooo fact for inquiring minds.

Jade will come! I have faith that little baby will jump right out of there when the time is right. PROBS on Dads birthday to upstage him! HAPPY BIRTHDAY DADDY! Also, I cant believe Josh will serve a mission in New York! That's so cool! Tell him congrats, its the hardest thing I've ever done in my whole life, but at the same time I wouldn't give a second back. AND tell Uncle Baloo CONGRATS when the time comes. Being a Grandpa is something I will never know anything about, but I'm sure its almost as cool as being an Aunt.

This week we set a goal in our zone for everyone to baptize ONE more person than they already had. (My idea) (just kidding- idea of the spirit) so we all go out and start finding people who have already been to church who fell through for some reason or other. We think about the neighbor of a less active so we call her and ask if we can come visit. Then we receive a call from someone in a different ward who used to live next door to them as well and he says- have you ever visited Felipe? Ive been thinking about Felipe. So this is all obviously a sign right? So we go there AND we mark a baptism for Sunday of Felipe. WOOHOO right? Sooo he is a teenager who has already been to church something like 5 times, but the missionaries never even visited him because he literally lives in the boondocks. So we mark a date and the next day it is POURING rain and we didn't have money for the bus. So we are walking the 4km to his house and we get a call- his mom retracted permission. HE CANT GET BAPTIZED. And he is DEPRESSED and we are DEPRESSED. And my companion is screaming in the rainy dirty street- does she even LOVE her son?! It was like a Travis Mills film you know? HAHA. So we all calm down a little and say a prayer. We decide it is best to turn back. Not to visit. So yesterday we decide its time, and we make the trek there and talk to his mom. She is like- okay- he can GO to church he just cant get baptized yet. SO that's a step. We´ll work with it! Small victories every day!

On another note my companion has announced to the whole world that I am a full-fledged Brasilian. I CANT eat without rice and beans. Like- I don't get full, people ask what we eat in the US and I start to think... I don't even know how anyone gains weight there without eating a kilo of rice and beans at every meal. Its a problem. Also, recently its been SUPER dry here. Like... Arizona dry. People complain about it and I'm just like- NORMAL.

The other sisters moved in this week and President called me yesterday to say we are going to have 2 more in our house. Transfers are today so we will see who stays for it, but just imagine 6 sisters in one house. Our bishop was like- I've never even seen that happen. Its gonna be CRAZY. I told president to pick the other two sisters with wisdom. If anyone likes to pick fights we are DONE FOR. Also, when we were talking to President apparently he was talking in English and we didn't even notice. So after Sister Armstrong and I are like- WOW that's so cool 3 sets of missionaries in one ward. And our companions are like... WAIT WHAT HAPPENED?! Hahaha. I think I've had one of the most unique missions you could even have. When I start putting it all together people are just dumb-founded. Ive also lived with Sister Armstrong now for 5 months, in 4 different houses 4 different times. Its cool. We are besties. 

My President in Montana one time told me- some people need the mission more than the mission needs them. Lately I've been feeling like I need the mission more than it needs me. I cant even remember who I was before this great test in my life, but I never want to go back. I know that Jesus Christ is my savior. That he is OUR Savior. He only could unlock the gate of heav´n and let us in.

With amor,

Sister Haley Mills

PS - say cururuquara 6 times fast. (Its one of our cities.) OR carapicuíba.

 

 

A whole bunch of random

Oiiii gente!

I'm so glad Leslie (Clouse) was so inspirational because honestly it is SO hard to give talks these days. You see miracle after miracle and your like... I don't even know which one to focus on! God loves us! WOOO!

I am INCREDIBLY happy I already have my bachelors as well! I was thinking the other day about what a blessing it is, to be one of the only missionaries who isn't worried thinking about their life back home all the time. Everyone is always trying to figure out what they will do when they return and I'm just over here like- I've got one thing done! WOO! Andrew will finish up soon I am sure! Just having a bachelors will help him so much, he could really work anywhere, just saying that he speaks English and Spanish fluently! AND has a degree!

 

So I was a good little girl this week and made a list of things to tell y'all!

Starting with walking. HAHA. Sooo the other day after district meeting, our district leader was like... do you have almoço? noooo. Do the other sisters have lunch? nooo. zone leaders? no. sooo why don't we all go to a restaurant? PERFECT. We start walking. After about 20 minutes we ask- how far away is this restaurant? The elders- uhhh mais o menos 20 minutos. Perfect right? So we are walking.... walking... how long? Ummm 20 minutes. But you guys walk slow. SO we arrive there after an hour. Which for us is not that long of time walking these days. BUT then the elders suggest that we can just walk to our area because it is the same distance and we end up walking 8 kilometers and MORE THAN 2 HOURS LATER.... Hahaha. We were all dying laughing the whole time. Afterwards I thought- man... the bus only costs 3 reais. WORTH IT. So what we learned this week is- DON'T TRUST ELDERS. Just kidding. But not.

We have a member that was telling us about her marriage plans for December and how she is going to invite me to her wedding because it will be after I go home. So we are leaving her house and I hear something about an invite for the wedding and I scream out "QUERO!" buuuut then my companion tells me that she was talking about her 40 year old brother she wants me to marry.... AWKWARD. She changed topics...

The other day we were making contacts in the street. And this one woman was in a hurry you know. And she yells out as she passes, "outro dia eu vou parar." Another day I will stop. And I starting thinking about that one song Dad loves- "when you comin' home, I don't know when, but we´ll get together then!" How often do we think- I'll fulfill my callings tomorrow. I'll visit someone who needs me tomorrow. I'll read my scriptures tomorrow. What we do TODAY is what determines where we will be tomorrow. If we leave the day of our repentance until tomorrow, tomorrow may never come. We need to live in the moment of action. Not only today will I be nourished by the good word of the Lord, but NOW. 

This week we had a fireside for all the youth about going on missions. I get up there to bear my testimony and everyone just starts bawling with me. I started to realize how short my time is here. I go home in 4 months... when did this happen? Every moment counts. Every second. Every person. Vamos trabalhar. 

Speaking of people, I cant remember if I told you about Denner. But he is our favorite less active. He works in this photo shop the old stake president owns and I am not kidding you, we visit every day. They give us money for our lunches, or we need to use the phone, or we want to print pictures, or talk to a member of the family about an investigator. So one day I gave Denner a scripture to read and ever since we have been passing and reading scriptures with him everyday.  He´s 25 and going through a divorce, and has been less active now for 7 years. And wait for it... HE WENT TO CHURCH YESTERDAY!!! Our whole ward was freaking out! Never mind that I said he HAD to come or I would be transferred this week, but he WENT! And he said he will never leave again. We had all these investigators at church and I here I was FREAKING out about Denner! HA! 

And speaking of transfers, I think I might stay here forever. I talked to President yesterday for 40 minutes and he was like... how the HECK do you know so much about this stake? So... I'm pretty sure I'm never going to move. But its okay because I LOVE IT HERE and the other sisters are probably going to move innn! WOOO! Party house! ... I mean missionary house!

Love you and miss you a ton!

Sister Haley Mills!

 

 

Highlights from this week

I can't believe Leslie (Clouse) is already home?! PARA BENS! What language was she speaking again? I bet its crazy to hear her! Que legal! And EVERYONE is having babies I know! Everyone loves it here when I say- my sister in law has a baby in the oven. People laugh for a good 10 minutes. Apparently that isn't a phrase here? I just embrace it.

And now. Highlights from this week-

-I taught my companion about dishwashers the other day when we were washing dishes. And now she is OBSESSED. Everyday she tells people- did you know they have a MACHINE in the United States that washes dishes. I thought she would be equally as excited about a dryer for clothes but apparently they exist here, just not for the poor (aka us!) 

-Remember my recent convert Tamires? WELL her boyfriend has been coming to church with us and he is PROGRESSING. And when I say progressing, we have just got to marry them so he can move here and get BAPTIZED (he lives in a different city) so that will take a couple of weeks but I am so excited for them to have a little Mormon family. He has changed so much knowing the church. The other day he was like- this just all makes sense you know? SOOO VAMOS BATIZAR.

Love you and miss you dearly. The word trunky is outlawed in my sphere of influence, so be careful y'all. Still got 4 months!

SAUDADES!

TCHAU!

Sister Haley Mills

 

 

We´re happy free confused and lonely in the best way...

So this week... hmmm.

The only thing I can think of to describe it is a Taylor Swift song. Because it was just that ridiculous. It started with exchanges with the Sister Training Leaders, which turned into DRAMA Ive never beheld in my life. I think I said- Are we in high school? Like 3000 times this week. Its pretty sad when everyone forgets their purpose here right? Normally I dont share this kind of stuff with you guys, but I was thinking the other day- how often do we gloss right over the hard part of being a missionary for our families and friends? And you are all over there thinking- wow, the work of salvation is so easy for them?! The truth is- its not. And its not for you either. But does that mean we desist? NO. We regroup, and have 4 baptisms. WOOOO. A FAMILY! I dont know if any of you knew about this but that has been my mission goal forever. Baptizing a family. And yesterday it happened!

About 2 months ago we were on the ônibus and I was talking to this man. I invited him really quick to come to church with us on Sunday and also shared a little bit about how we have a Prophet that lives and guides us, the same as in the Bible. If God is the same yesterday, today, and forever- why don't we have a prophet today?! WE DO! So I share that little bit bem rápidinho and he is like- yeah Ill go to church and bring my wife (but really girlfriend- because they weren't married). 

So everyone always says yes here and then never comes BUTTT lo and behold, during the week we are walking home and I hear someone yell MILLSSS! - I didn't forget- Sunday at 9! Then I whisper to my companion- do you know him? HAHA. And she is like- he said YOUR name. SHOOT. We talk to so many people! Everyone always remembers the American and I NEVER remember them its awful! So he goes- did you forget about me?! Im like... NOOO! You just look different? Did you get a hair cut? HAHA Smooooth right? 

So they show up to church that Sunday (before us even) and we give them a little tour, and we had another couple there too so the whole ward was like THRILLED. Wellllll then they invite us to a barbeque at their house.... like 3 feet out of our area! NOOOO! They live in the elders area!!!! So we call President and ask if we can go! He starts singing to me- IF YOU DON'T KNOW ME BY NOWWWW YOU WILL NEVER EVER EVER KNOW MEEEE. And I go... so yes? And he answers NO! Hahaha.

So we send the Elders and they don't want to go because it is practically our area and super far for them. I remember Elder Braga- waittt they went to church? Did they like it? Like will they get baptized? hahaha. And they aren't married?! Sister what kind of referal is this?! So the elders go- and they ask to be baptized. They throw away all their coffee at the end of the Word of Wisdom lesson, and they agree to get married!

We put on a wedding on Saturday in our building and baptized them and their two daughters and oh was it the coolest thing in the world. Literally 2 entire wards came and they are going to be a huge part of the church forever. All because of a simple invite. 

So that was my week. I love you and miss you!

Amor e saudades,

Sister Haley Mills

 

Making contacts in the street

Elder Noleto (he baptized Simoni!) Melisa, Simoni, Mariana, Kleiton, ME AND SISTER SARES

 

Quick one...

Don't hate me... but we have our first zone pday ever here today! Sooo I have zero time to write...Ill tell you bem rapido about my favorite thing this week. and by favorite i mean AWFUL.

We invited this family to be baptized, but first they have to get married. so we are talking with the husband in the street- soooo will you marry your girlfriend and get baptized? He goes... what about my other girlfriend? I start laughing... ohhh... serio?! Sooo our investigator is going to pray about ditching his mistress. What are your thoughts? God will say yes, na? Hahaha. Ohhhh brazil.

Also, we taught a lesson yesterday with Bishop and it was AWESOME. We were like good cop bad cop. It was his friend so obviously he was bad cop. And he literally is a cop so it was perfect. He reminds me so much of you dad, you have the same personality but he speaks in Portuguese so.... But he told his friend- you WILL read the Book of Mormon, and you will pray. And then God will give you that warm feeling in your heart, then on the 9th of August, Ill baptize you and the Sisters will fill up the font. HAHAHA. I was dying.