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.