Christmas day - 2015

Elder McMillan singing "Abide with Me" in Spanish

Trujillo Temple

Elder Volquez, Elder McMillan, Elder Anderson

Christmas Day Skype!

Max is still Max! :)

 Elder McMillan singing "Abide with Me" in Spanish

December 28, 2015

So this week was absolutely amazing! I am learning to grow and improve and my training is now finished which means changes!

I am so happy that I get to stay in Chao for at least one more change. Elder Volquez and I are together and Elder Anderson is getting a new companion but were all still in Chao!

Christmas in the mission is absolutely amazing! We get to talk to everyone we know about our savior Jesus Christ. We get to talk and focus and only think about him which is just so amazing! The main point of Christmas is to remember our Savior Jesus Christ and his suffering atonement. I encourage you all to watch the new Mormon messages about our Savior. They're so good!

We sang a lot this week. We sang twice in a place called Viru, then we went to Trujillo for a Devotional with our mission. We got to go to a yummy restaurant and eat pollo a la brazo which is barbecue chicken. It is so good!

We didn't have a baptism this week but that's OK, we're planning it for this week! Sebastion is awesome and I love him so much.

I hope you all had an amazing awesome Christmas!!!!!

--

Love from Peru,

Elder McMillan

December 21, 2015

 

Ok so basically before I start to day is my brothers birthday so everyone write him and tell him Happy  Birthday for me hahhaa!!!!! OK so now I can start !

So this week was basically crazy. People down here celebrate Christmas very strangely. 

First and for most I am now in a trio with Elder Volquez and Elder Anderson my District Leader. His companion got called to be an office Elder so now I am in a trio for like one week until changes. I love them both so much. I am going to miss them!

W didn't have much proselyting this week because we have been preparing for our Christmas concert in Viru. We still got to work but we definitely had a lot of singing practice hahaha!!!!!

There were other performances during the concert as well. Weird performances. Like a clown with Santa clause and these woman in 3 year old elf costumes dancing together. That  was crazy. I sang in a quartet with my companions and one other elder. We sang the little drummer boy in Spanish. There was a guy watching us the whole time yelling praise the lord. We were a little scared hahha!!!!

We have our baptism planned this week of Sebastion! He is amazing and has such a strong and powerful testimony about the Book of Mormon. He wants to serve a mission!!!!

I love you all and wish you a Merry Christmas!!!!

--

Love from Peru,

Elder McMillan

December 14, 2015

Well hello there all of you in Utah! I hope all is well and you are all happy and healthy. This week I have felt so healthy and so good! It is great!

So I am in my 11th week of training. This week i have to take control of all the lesssons and discussions we have with people wish me luck hahaha!

We have an official date set for baptism! His name is Sebastion. He is so good. He is reading the Book of Mormon everyday and has a strong testimony about the book, about Joseph Smith and about everything. His baptism is set for The 26th of December. We as his missionaries need to help him be as prepared as he can be for this amazing oppurtunity. I am so happy and so excited for him. When I asked him to be baptized, I felt the spirit so strongly, I felt so much love for him and I almost started crying and losing it hahaha! I am so happy and proud and excited for him!

This week we have been practicing a lot because this weekend the 19th my district leader and I have the opportunity to sing in Trujillo and we have the opportunity to sing in a quaurtet for our Zone concert in Viru.  We also have a talent show for missionary night with our branch. So this week is full of all sorts of music which I LOVE HAHAHA!!!!

I love you all. Remember to read the Book of Mormon everyday. We have such a gift to read every day and ponder and pray about what we read. I love you all and I hope all is well!

--

Love from Peru,

Elder McMillan

December 7, 2015

Well hello there people that I love and care for so much! This week has been absolutely amazing and so fun. 

First, I got to be interviewed by President Rios. I gave him 2 hugs! hahah! I love hugs. He is so amazing and I know he is called of God to be the Mission President of The Peru Trujillo South mission. I love him. I was also interviewed by his wife and she had me sing for her, and now me and my district leader are singing a duet for the Christmas Festival in Trujillo. I am really excited but we don't really know what to sing. hahahha!

Also along with 3 other missionaries we have the opportunity to sing a quartet in the Christmas concert here in Viru!!!! I love singing. I love singing Christmas music as well!

Everyone here says  I am getting skinnier! hahaha! Which I don't mind at all! My suit pants pretty much fall of me now. I have to tighten my belt a lot hahha! I still love soda though.  Theres is now diet coke here so when I drink soda, sprite or coke haha!

We are so close with Sebastion. We had fast and testimony meeting and he told us he wanted to bare his testimony. We will surely have a date set for him this week. I love you all so so so much. Remember that with our Lord and our Savior Jesus Christ, all is possible. I want you all to look and read Psalms 37, It is all about waiting for the lord and having faith in him. I love you all so so much !

Love from Peru,

Elder McMillan

November 30, 2015

So this week was absolutely amazing! I had the oppurtunity to travel to Trujillo and listen to Elder Useda. He is a member of the 70 and is president of South America Northwest. It was so awesome! I learned so much. I also had the oppurtunity to Proselyte in Trujillo for the day which was nice. We didnt get back from Trujillo to Chao until 11 at night. I slept a little on the bus hahahaa!!!!

Elder Useda also traveled to our zone and spoke to all the members of the district and our zone. Lilia went and so did our other progressing investigator Sebastioan. They both said they liked his talk. President Rios and Hermana Rios also came. I love them so much. It makes me so happy to see president.

The focus of these meetings was that President Useda made all the leaders of the branches to pick up our investigators every sunday. So now we dont pick investigators up for church, members do that now. President Useda and President Rios want the members to be involved in  la obra de misional. Without them, this work is so much harder. The members bring such a light to the meetings. Also, our leaders want us to only find new investigators through the members. We don't do much contacting on the street! They really want these memebers to work and help investigators progress.

We have another saved soul.  Her name is Kiara. She is awesome. Her whole family is less active so we're working with them a lot. Her mom is almost rescued as well! Kiara is so awesome and has such a strong testimony. I was so proud of her because she had an interview with the brach president even though she didnt want to. She is awesome and is going to grow so much in the gospel. 

I love you all so much! I hope you all help with the work of salvation as well. We're all missionaries and need to help our brothers and sisters come unto Christ. I love you all so so so much!

Love from Peru,

Elder McMillan

 November 23, 2015

 

Well here I am in Peru!!!! I love you all so much and hope all is well. This week has been great for me. I am learning so much everyday and growing everyday. This week we got a new elder with the 4 including me and Elder Volquez. His name is Elder Littlefield and he is awesome!!!!! We're all getting along great and loving every minute of our missions.

Elder Volquez and I now have an assignment for our Zone. Every reference received, has to be told to us. We have to know about every reference received for the missionaries in our zone. We haven't started yet but it should be interesting and fun.

The president of the area is speaking to us this week. His name is President Useda. He spoke to me in the MTC. We're all so excited to here him speak. We get to travel to Trujillo Wednesday where almost every missionary in the mission will be there. He will speak to us and also Thursday he is coming to our zone to speak to leaders and members. We think he wants our area to become a stake. This is hard but doable with faith in our savior Jesus Christ.

This week we invited Hermano Sebastion to be baptized and he said yes!!!! We planned for December 12 but have to push it back a week because he didn't attend church. Were still going to work and help him prepare for this amazing experience. The most awesome thing happened to me this week. We were teaching Lilia and i just almost started crying because I know she wants to be baptized more than anything. This feeling of peace came over me letting me know she will be baptized. I don't know when, but I know she will be. I was so thankful  for that experience. Every one please remember that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is the only true church. I know this to be true. Remember that The Savior Jesus Christ is at the head of this great and marvelous work!!! I love you !!!!

Love from Peru,

Elder McMillan

November 16, 2015

Well my first exchange in the field is officially over! That is crazy might I just say. This change has been so amazing and I have learned so much in these first 6 weeks as a missionary. So I love you all and I hope all is well.

So this week I had a goal to only speak in Spanish the whole time as much as I could. I did it. It was hard, but this goal made me realize that I speak way more than I used to. I still spoke in English at times, but when I remembered, I really tried to speak in Spanish. I speak a lot, but now need to learn how to understand everything hahaha!!!!!

We had a bad week with investigators and less actives at church. NO one showed up. I was pretty bummed but got over it. hah! I just know this church is true and I want them all to be a part of it.We will definitely work harder to get them to church this week.

So I found out yesterday that just me and not my companion, only me, I get to teach principles of the gospel class next Sunday. I am nervous! I know it will be good though haha! I decided I will talk about the atonement because that is what I know best.

So every one says I am getting skinnier. Elder Volquez turned to me today and said you look skinnier. I definitely feel skinnier haha! I still drink coca cola a lot but not Diet coke Jessica so it doesn't count haha!

We had an activity on Friday called noche de juegos, game night. Only about 15 members showed up like an hour late! we played musical chairs and it was so funny haha! I love the members so so so much. They are all so sweet and kind. I love them. Most of them are willing to teach with us when we need as well which is great.

I love you all so so so much. This work is so beautful and powerful. It is amazing to realize this is exactly where I NEED TO BE. I am so thankful for the opportunity to serve. I love you all!!!! Remember with The Lord, and faith in the Lord, all is possible!!!!

Love from Peru,

Elder McMillan

November 9, 2015

I just wanted to bear my testimony of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I know this church is true. I know it is true with my whole heart. I have had experiences that have helped me gain this testimony. I know God is our father in heaven. His gospel is never changing his doctrine is never changing. I know that we have a true Prophet today on this earth and his name is Thomas S. Monson. I know he receives personal revelation from God. He is the prophet. His teachings are true. He has the power to speak with our Father in Heaven. Always remember this. Don't let your testimonies falter. I promise you all this church is true. Thomas S. Monson and the 12 apostles are prophets of God. I love them. I respect them. They are called of God.

Well hi there my family and friends. I love you all so so so so much and hope all is going well for you all. I have officially finished my fifth week here in the field and am starting week 6. All is good here. I am so happy to be serving the lord and serving my brothers and sisters here in the Peru Trujillo south mission. 

This week was good. We found only 3 new investigators this week which in my opinion is really good haha. They seem interested especially Sebastian. He is a member of a family that are all strong and fully active in the gospel. We both felt strong about him. He said he would read the Book of Mormon, and his family said he was! So all is good!

We taught Hermano Abraham who is the boyfriend of Lilia. we asked him to be baptized and he said he would if he got an answer from God. We set December as a possible month for him so I hope it will all work out.

What was so cool especially about this lesson was that when I was teaching. I felt so strong. I felt like the spirit was pouring out of me and speaking to him. He didn't understand when I asked him to be baptized but that is ok, it was such a cool experience for me.

Its frustrating when you know people are lying to you. People plan meetings with us and they say all is good when Elder Volquez and I both know its not good but that's ok.

This week was great. I love this gospel. I love everything about this work. It truly is amazing to see how much God answers me when I need help. I love you all and pray for you all every day. Remember with faith, all is possible.

Moroni 7 33 thanks momma for this scripture!!!! I love you!!!!

Love from Peru,

Elder McMillan

November 2, 2015

Well hello there my family! I love you all so so much and am so grateful for the opportunity to write you all. So, this week was great!  I'm pretty sure I've probably lost like 80 pounds out here! Everyone says I'm gordito hahaha but getting skinnier so its a compliment haha!

Lilia is doing good. She is ready for baptism and we want it for her so bad. We are trying to work closer and closer with her boyfriend because she needs baptism and he does to. I know it will make them so much more happy in there lives.

We had 5 less active members at church this week! I was so happy and almost just started crying because I'm so proud of these people. Elder Volquez and i had to teach escuala domincial.  He spoke most. I talked about our savior and I shared d and c 110 about a description of our savior!

We also went out during priesthood and split up with members and tried to get references. We were going to do it for an activity on Saturday but only one person the pres of priesthood showed up.

I love you all so so so so much. I know that this church is true and all is possible with faith. I love you all so so so much. remember all is possible with faith in our savior Jesus Christ!!!!!! I love you all!!!

Love from Peru,

Elder McMillan

October 26, 2015

So here I am so thankful for my savior and for my father in heaven. I want to tell you all an experience.

Not gonna lie at the beginning of this week i was bummed. I felt like I wasn't teaching with the spirit and I was just stressing. I said a prayer, probably one of the most sincere prayers I have ever offered. I grabbed my scriptures, held them in my hand and just said please give me an answer. I closed my eyes and just opened the scriptures to a random page. The spirit took me to Moses 6 31-34.

And when Enoch had heard these words, he bowed himself to the earth before the lord, and spake before the Lord saying. Why is it that I have found fayor in thy sight, and am but a lad. and all the people hate me, for I am slow of speech wherefore am I thy servant?  And the lord said unto Enoch, go forth and do as I have commanded thee, and no man shall pierce thee. Open the mouth and it shall be filled and I will give thee utterance for all flesh is in my hands. And I will do as seemeth me good. say unto this people choose ye this day to serve the lord God who made you behold my spirit is upon you wherefore all the words will I justify and the mountains shall flee before you and the rivers shall turn from their course, and thou shall abide in me and I in you therefore walk with me.

I testify to every single one of you that reads this, God is always mindful of us. when we need him most, I promise each and every single one of you, with faith and diligence and a sincere heart ,and humility, God will always answer. I promise every single one of you. never forget, when life gets to hard to stand, kneel. 

I have my first saved soul this week!  I am so happy and so thankful for her. her name is Juana and she has a lot of challenges but has a strong testimony too. She is an alma rescatada which is saved soul!

We have a date set for Lilia for baptism. We just need to get her and her boyfriend married and get him baptized!

I love you all. I promise this work is real and beautiful and amazing!!!! I love you all!!!!

Love from Peru,

Elder McMillan

October 19, 2015

Well hello there my dear friends and family. I am writing you all from Chao. haha! I love you all and I hope all is going well. This week was great. I had amazing experiences, and really hard experiences but that is ok because everyone learns from experiences.

Like last week, we in this part of the mission worry a lot about saving less actives and re activating them. We almost have 2 that are saved!!!! There names are Hermana Juana and Hermano Enrique. They are amazing and I want so badly for them to just be happy and come back. I know they will through time.

We have been working a lot with an investigator named Lilia. She lives with her boyfriend and they have had 5 kids together, but they're not married. She and her kids that are of age want to be baptized but she has to either marry her boyfriend or leave him. Were teaching him too, his name is Abraham. We taught him the Restoration and when Elder Volquez recited the first vision of Joseph Smith,  I looked in Abraham's eyes, and I knew he felt the spirit. He said he felt the spirit. I was going to ask him to be baptized but then he asked for us to give Lilia a blessing because she was sick. I felt like I should've asked but didn't because of the fact that we gave her a blessing.

It is difficult not being able to speak fluent. I want to just speak with fluent Spanish but I know it takes time, I know in time, I will be blessed with the gift of tongues.

I spoke in sacrament this last week! I spoke on fasting. I used a lot of scriptures. I made the congregation laugh haha! Members told my district leader that they loved my message. That made me proud of myself haha!

I love you all so so so so much. Remember when you feel like you can"t stand anymore, when you feel alone, remember. you are never alone. Our savior is always with us. The atonement is always there to take all pain away. Remember that. Never forget that when you feel sad, you can change your mood and be happy. You can do that with faith and strength. I love you all!!!!!

Love from Peru,

Elder McMillan

Arrival in Peru Trujillo South Mission, Tuesday October 6, 2015
First week in Peru
 

I am reporting from an area in Peru called Chao! I love it here!!! I can't believe that I have been here for 1 week already! This is crazy! I love you all so so much and I hope all is well.

Tuesday morning we woke up at 2:30 am and went to the Lima Airport. There we flew for an hour and landed in Trujillo. President Rios and his wife and all the office missionaries were there to welcome us!!!

We ate lunch with president and had our first interview and then we met our companions. my companions name is Elder Volques.  He is from the Dominican Republic and he speaks perfect English so I got lucky hahaha!!  He has such a huge desire to serve the Lord and is such a great trainer.

We don't have a ward, we have a branch of about 55 members. We work with members a lot and are trying to get them involved in the work. We focus on baptisms but we are focusing a lot on rescued souls which is less actives. We actually got one less active this week which is almost as awesome as a baptism!!! her name is Juana. 

The food has been a little hard for me to get used to but that's ok. haha!!

I realized that honestly I don't speak Spanish hahahaah! I've realized that I will be learning this language in the field and am so excited to be here I love you all and hope all is well.

We have one investigator wanting to baptized. We have to convince her boyfriend to marry her so she can be. Love y'all!!!

--

Love from Peru,

Elder McMillan

September 30, 2015

Well week 5 has now finished and I am starting my final week here at the CCM! Holy freak I can't believe that time has flown by as quick as it has. I am so excited to enter the field! I need to go! I am so so so so so excited to just get out there and actually start teaching! I will miss the CCM but know I will love the field so so much more.

This week was my best week here. We had practice lessons where we practiced on missionaries in our district and we actually for the first time used how to begin teaching like we never have. We both felt the spirit as a companionship and I literally almost started crying!!!

Today at the temple there was a sweet Peruvian lady crying her eyes out in the celestial room. It broke my heart. I started crying and praying for her. Today is when I realized that I already love these people so so so so much and can't wait to teach for them every day. I could tell the lady was having a hard time and was going to say something hermanas in my district talked to her.

Since at the CCM I have given I believe either 4 or 5 blessings of comfort. I used to get so nervous about giving them but now feel so honored when a hermana asks me to give her a blessing. I love having the authority of God to deliver blessings. Its something I am very thankful to have.

We got to watch Elder Scott's funeral live and It made me miss Utah hahaha!!

I want to bear my testimony in Spanish now to show y'all what I've learned.

Yo se que la iglesia de Jesucristo de los santos de los ultimos dias es verdadera. Yo se que Jesucristo es nuestro salvador. Yo se que Dios es nuestro Padre celestial. Yo se que Dios y Jesucristo es amoroso. Yo se que nosotros tenemos desafios en nuestras vidas, porque desafios enseñar nosotros. yo se que misional obra es verdad. >Yo se que el espiritu santo es real. Yo se que el libro de mormon es un otro testimonio de Jesucristo. Podemos sentir el espiritu Santo cuando leyendo. Yo amo este evangelio, en el nombre de jesucristo.

I love you all and next time you hear from me I'll have been in the field for a week!!!!! AAAAAAHHHHH

--

Love from Peru,

Elder McMillan

WEEK 4 Check, Week 5 Begin!!!

Ok so to everyone one I want to say hi!!! I love you all so much and thank you for the support you have given me!!! Week 4 was absolutely amazing and  I am excited to report and give you all feedback.

This week, we learned a ton of grammar whether it was by playing games or writing sentences on the board, a ton of grammar.

We also had many teaching opportunities. We committed our Camila investigator to baptism!!! We were so excited and thrilled and couldn't stop smiling!!!!

The best part of this week was proselyting this I am not going to lie, I was very nervous and couldn't stop stressing. We went to Lima East and were put with missionaries from that area. I was with a missionary named Elder Flinders. He has been out over a year and is from American Fork, I was also with a member from the area. We were given flyers to hand out about stake conference in the area. I honestly didn't talk much. We only got into one house and they were recent converts to the church. I was very nervous but told myself to get over it. I introduced myself and then Elder Flinders began to teach. From what I got they were having trouble staying obedient like going to church every Sunday. I bore my testimony at the end and just told them I knew the church was true. I didn't speak much, but I know I felt the spirit. There were so many things in my head. Even though I didn't talk a lot, I still smiled and tried to be happy and my teacher told us that is what matters. I know that I did what I needed to do. I was proud and happy and it made me remember why I came on a mission, I can't wait to get to Trujillo so I can give people the opportunity to hear about this glorious gospel like I have. I loved seeing the animals on the street, they said don't pet them but I really wanted to. Hahaha!!!!!

This week was amazing and I am so blessed for the opportunity to have had it. I love this Gospel, and I am so ready to leave the CCM and teach the people about the gospel of Jesus Christ!!!!!
--

Love from Peru,

Elder McMillan

September 16, 2015 - Week 3

Hola mia familia!

Ok, so week 3 has now finished and week 4 has commenced!  So this week was such a great week!  I learned more than I've learned my whole time here! Life is great at the CCM.

So I want to start off with a story.  Wednesday of last week I'll be honest was the worst day of my mission so far.  I was so discouraged about the language and my teacher would ask my companion and I to do a practice teaching scenario and we froze.  Also she was disappointed with us because when we left the CCM for P-day we didn't try to place a Book of Mormon.  I was embarrassed and honestly just started crying.  I was so upset with everything and just wanted to sit.  Then we were taught as missionaries we need to be happy.  Our happiness will help investigators for the future.  I realize I've gotta be happy, so I basically just stopped being sad and have been fine every since!  The Lord definitely helped me to realize that I don't need to be upset.  Happines really is the best medicine.

The best thing that happened to me this week, was today Elder Rice and I placed our 1st Book of Mormon!  We had finished the temple and shopping.  I saw an older lady and we just walked up and started talking to her.  I asked her if she had heard anything about Joseph Smith or the Book of Mormon.  She said "no" so I just started teaching and giving a brief account of the restoration.  She listened and said she wanted to learn more!  We asked for her address and telephone number and I am pretty sure she said she didn't have any of those, but I gave her a Book of Mormon and promised her if she read and prayed, God would answer her.  Elder Rice and I bore our testimonies.  It definitely made me realize being missionary isn't something I need to stress about.  I have been scared but after today, I know I'll be fine.  As long as I open my mouth, the Spirit will speak.  I'm so excited to have had that experience because this Saturday we have a proselyting activity.  We will leave the MTC for about 4 hours, and be split up with missionaries in the field, and teach!  I am so excited!  Nervous of course, but definitely more excited!

Since I've been here I've been able to give 3 blessings.  It has been so fun and such a great experience to help the hermanas in my district with blessings.

Today I received a package from my family, and of course you all know I'm wearing the Taylor Swift shirt Maddie sent me!  I'm pretty sure people have been staring, but I honestly don't even care!  haha!  Thanks Maddie!

We had a devotional last night.  His name was Elder Calderon.  One thing he spoke on was in 1 Samuel 16 we all need to be like David against Goliath.  We need to stand up and say we're representatives of the Lord.  Another thing he reminded us was that we're all children of our loving Heavenly Father.  That hit home for me.  It's so nice to hear that.  God is always with us, I know that for sure.

I just want to bear my testimony quick to all of you. I know with my whole heart that this church is true.  I know why I'm on a mission.  I'm preparing to teach the people of Trujillo, but I'm also changing myself.  I have learned patience in these past 3 weeks more than I have in my whole life.  I know that I already have met the people I'm preparing to teach, I know them already.  I know the Savior died for all of us, so we could and can feel happy.  The Savior atoned for every single one of our sins, not because he had too, but because he wanted to.  (Moses 1:1-4)  I know God is loving.  I know we are all children of our Heavenly Father.  I know that when we pray with a sincere heart, God will always answer.  It may not and probably won't always be right away, but he will answer.  I know God lives.  I love this Gospel with everything I am, and say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

With love from Peru,

Elder McMillan  

 

 

Elder McMillan and some of his district

 The Lima Temple

Elder McMillan and Elder Rice

09 September 2015

This is from Elder McMillan's mom - Elder McMillan had a great week!  He has lost about 10 pounds, he says they eat chicken and rice every single day for lunch and dinner.  They play soccer every day for exercise and yesterday he scored 3 goals - woo hoo!  He told us he has been called to be a Zone Leader so we are excited for him to have that opportunity to serve.  He said a couple of things that I wanted to share...

"I miss you guys but I know that when I put my very best effort into this work, the Lord helps me"

 "The Spanish is really hard, but I just have to remember as long as I do what the Lord wants me to do, I'll be blessed."

It's obvious to me the growth Elder McMillan is experiencing, but, as the picture above with Elder Rice represents, Elder McMillan is still Elder McMillan, and I'm so thankful for that. 

Thanks for all of your prayers for Elder McMillan!

Buenas dias mi familia y mi amigos. Mi nombre es Elder McMillan. Soy es representante de Jesucristo. I love you all!!!! This week has been the hardest week of my life, but also the most rewarding. You learn so much from being at the MTC.

Okay so I want to start out talking about my whole day at the airport. Saying goodbye to my family was the hardest thing I've ever had to do in my life, but it was well worth it. When i got on the plane to leave for Peru, I had a mini panic attack realizing that I was leaving for two years. then I read a letter from momma, which said remember, he is always with you. That has been my goal this whole week. Just to remember that the Lord is always with me. Its been hard meeting new people and learning a new language but at the same time has been so fun!!!!!! I now can greet people, say a prayer in Spanish and bear my testimony in Spanish. It has been such an amazing experience. The Peru MTC is a pretty place but very small. There's only like 150 missionaries here. It is so fun. Today for the beginning of P day i went to the Peru temple which was so fun!!!!

Elder Rice is my companion. We get along. hahha!!!! We have taught 2 lessons to our investigator - Jose - and we are going to invite him to be baptized next time we see him!!!! Its very humbling to be in a first lesson and hardly know the language, but we did it, and it was well worth it. I've learned a lot since then.

The main thing I want to express to all of you is to remember to trust in the Lord. I've learned that more than I ever have in a week. There's been times when I've felt alone, but what's kept me going is the fact that i have the Lord. The mission is such a good experience, like Jessica said it really is a refiners fire. I love you guys so so so so much thanks for the letters and best wishes.

Love from Peru,

Elder McMillan

PS. I forgot to mention in my big email that I experienced my first earthquake!!!!! It was really cool!!!! No damage was done, just one we could all feel.

Elder McMillan with Elder & Sister Hansen

Elder McMillan arrived safely in Lima Tuesday night August 25th at midnight.  He was able to email us Wednesday morning and let us know he arrived safely.  This photo was taken Wednesday evening.  Elder Hansen is the branch president.  Sister Hansen is a sister to our dear friend Jackie Westenscow.  Tender mercy for Elder McMillan's mom.  Elder McMillan's first night at the Lima MTC Elder Bednar was there and spoke to the missionaries.  What a first day in the mission!