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.)