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