Letter Home Dated November 10, 2014

Dearest Familia,

HOLA!  How is everyone doing?  Are you cold?  Well, I hope everyone is doing good and maybe even enjoying the cold weather with some hot chocolate.  You may have noticed that I was able to send two letters, two weeks in a row!  That is because Elder S went to the office last week and this week I will have my interview with Pres. McM.

Well, I am positive that this letter will be in your hand after Thanksgiving and the sealing.  So I hope that I got a bunch of pictures and super good details.  I have to admit that going to Las Vegas for Thanksgiving does bring back so many fun memories!  So, I hope everyone enjoyed.

How is school going for everyone?  Me began has one more semester in high school!  That is NUTS!  I can't believe it!  I hope she is getting good grades and making the best of it!  Mom I am sure you are studying a bunch!  I hope it is all coming to you easy and that you can continue to progress with your determination.  And of course, Mike, just stop those bad guys, and be safe while doing that!

Elder Milton is doing well!  I am almost done with my second time through the Book of Mormon!  As I am sure many people do, I regret not reading it before the mission.  But now I have read it two times in Spanish.  The next time I would like to read it in English.  But believe it or not, I read a lot!  I have so many books I want to read but so little time!  But I am in the middle of The Teachings of Joseph Smith book and I think I forgot English!  He writes so formally!  But it is really good!  I have somehow gained a liking to study.  That is quite a miracle!  Just one of the things I will be looking forward to bettering when I return home!

San Pedro is doing good!  I am still trying to work my best with these members.  They have strong testimonies that sometimes I take for granted.  I try my best to keep them strong and motivate them!  It's honestly something I never imagined that I would do on a mission!  But people look to me for almost everything and the Lord blesses me so that I can do what is best.  I can't let them down or the Lord, so I will continue to do my best and help this Unity be the strongest it can be!

I am doing good and my health has been super good for one year!  I am so blessed!  So thank you for your prayers and support!  I love and miss you guys!  Time is flying so don't blink!  I will write you more soon!!

Love always,
Elder Milton

P.S.  Are you ready for Skype??

Week #58

Hola Familia!

Hey again the internet closed down for the week! So I was luckily able to get permission from President to use a Members computer! This week was really really busy and I have no Idea where to start! I didn't read the letter this week for lack of time because we only have 15 minutes! But I am excited for Skype this week on Wednesday at 3 PM here in Paraguay! So I am really excited :) I am healthy and I am doing good! Thank you for your prayers and I love you all very much and I will see you on Wednesday :)

Love Always,
Elder Milton



Sweet! Internet man opened up! Turns out my companions Elder S and Elder R convinced him! We only had 30 minutes more so I offered to write a little less so that Elder S could write his family and coordinate Skype times really good! 

Well to be more descriptive, last week we were traveling a bunch again and sleeping on at the church in Santani for our zone conference! We had a white elephant gift thing and it was really good! I bought a Machete and named it Moroni and put it in and the funny this is a Sister named Sister J got it and she was FREAKING happy haha!  It was awesome!

We were saddened to find out this week that Hermana C drank a little again so we are trying to help her the best way we can! She didn't come to church for the first time in 2 months so we will be visiting her today! 

Well that is a super super short summary but I am excited to Skype! My request is that if you guys could find someway to record the audio! My zone leader told me that is what his family does and it would be super awesome to document it! To look back on it in the future :)  I want to record it because I only will Skype one more time in the mission and I want to have it to have as a souvenir! :) But if you don't get it worked it its okay! 

I am super excited and we will talk super fast on Wednesday because I feel like I have so much to say and 40 minutes to do it! 

But I have to go! I love you Mom and I miss you so much! Thank you for your prayers and sharing how proud you are of me! You inspire me! :) Nos vemos en mièrcoles!

Love Always,
Elder Milton 

Week #57 - Pictures

The tomato plot with Hermano J.

Painting the house with Elders

Week #57

Hola Familia!

Well here I am! Sorry for the shortness last week but all is resolved :) I am super happy to announce that I have arranged to Skype on Wednesday the 24th. I am super excited and I had  to get special permission from President to use a members cell phone! So I hope all can be there and I am super happy and excited! :)

Well this week was a good week with the second son Elder St! We are getting along good and we are practicing English a bunch! This week we had a bunch of service projects! We planted Tomatoes, Cleaned the church, and we painted a house! So that was really good! We always found some new families to teach! One named the S Family and the other P Family! They all have good potencial to progressar the only one that came to church was this guy named JS. He came to church and just accused us of being an apostasy because we don't yell when we teach and we don't use the sword of Jesus to direct the Spirit at people! So that was interesting so we have a lot of work to do with him! Sister CC came along without her kids, so that was sad! She still needs to find a job to go sign her papers!

I am doing really good! It is starting to really cook here in San Pedro and summer is supposed to start at the end of this month! Elder St is doing good and I do kind of miss his goofiness! But Elder Sa is a smart guy so I am excited to learn a bunch from him! I Also am hoping to get your packages this week! WE will have our zone conference and I am hopeful to get it there!

The pictures from Winter formal looked really good! Megan looked pretty! I finally figured out who Tevin is haha but I hope he was good date! I do believe that the winter break does start this week so that is super exciting!

Also HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM! I know it is a little early but I didn't forget! I will sing next week in person! :)

Well I am super glad to hear that everyone is doing good! I love you all very much! And Pray for you always, I will write you more next week and we will talk face to face also :)

Love ALways,
Elder Milton

Week #56 - Pictures

When I went to meet and pick up Elder S. - He is from Peru

Week #56

Dearest Family!

I am sorry to announce that being Virgin Mary Day that ALL of San Pedro closed down! I luckily convinced the internet man to let me write a short something to you guys for 15 minutes and to Presidente! 

So the news is...well I am staying in San Pedro! And Elder S headed out...to Salado! Haha it was so crazy! He was really sad but excited to head out especially after all my stories! 

Well the other big news is that my second son was born on December 3rd! My new companion that I will be training is named Elder S from Peru. We are going to get along good and once again I have a lot to teach but this time not Spanish! I am honored and super excited to train again and also to stay here in San Pedro! 

I am doing good and I am healthy! The C family is doing good and we are going to work extra hard! 

I am sorry this is super short, but I can say that next week I will have the Skype schedule because I have to make a few arrangements with President McM. But it will be soon and I am hoping for 19 of December :) but I love you all and I hope all is well! I pray for you always and I will write much more of the San Pedro adventures next weeek!

Love Always,
Elder Milton

P.S. Please tell Kaliswag that I took time to think about her on the 3rd for her 10th birthday!! I love you Kali!

Letter Home Dated November 2, 2014

Dearest family,

Here I am once again!  (Falling to pieces. . .  )  And not Avril Lavigne, but Elder Milton on paper!

How is everyone doing?  I hope super good and maybe with stomachs full from Thanksgiving! Which also means that Mom and Mike went through the temple and got sealed!  Which I hope to get lots of pictures and some super spiritual feedback.

I hope school is going well for Kali and Kody and also Megan (MEGA SENIOR!!).  I am sure I am well informed through e-mail, but I have to ask!

Is it cold yet?  Time for hot chocolate?  I am sure everyone is eyeing Christmas and to spend some days off from school and work!  So keep pushing along and I know it will come!

Well, this week was a tough one.  I absolutely hate complaining, so I won't go into too much detail!  But it is always important to leave a hard time/trial learning something!  If you don't, then you went through the pain and difficulty for nothing.  In fact, the only reason the Lord allows trials to happen or lets us go through rough times is for us to learn something!  He knows there is no other way to learn but by experience.  So, if we don't learn from our trials, then our "suffering" is in vain!

So, what did I learn?  Well, as I am sure you have all read through e-mail, is that the love I have for people here in the mission needs to be felt by the people!  If not, then they don't understand why I am here or why I am the way I am.  When I tell them something, they need to do something or when I am persistent, it is all for one good reason:  I love and want what is best for them!  But if they don't understand that, then I am just some young kid that is super strict!  So, I need to express my love more through my teaching and my acts.  I was called COLD, which hurt!  I don't do it or waste my breath for nothing!  It is all out of love.  I am sure every parent who reads this letter understands EXACTLY what I mean!  Including most importantly my own beautiful mother!

So, I will end the deep talk/complaints for today.  But I have to be better.  I have to endure.  A quote from my Joseph Smith book says, "Souls are as precious in the sight of God as they ever were;  and the Elders were never called to drive any down to hell, but to persuade and invite all men everywhere to repent that they may become the heirs of salvation."

So, I will apply this better and love with more patience!  Thank you all for your prayers, love, and support!  I will write soon and also, we will be Skyping soon!  I am so excited! !

Love always,
Elder Milton

Week #55 - Pictures

Selfie! Sitting on the floor in the colectivo to Santa Rosa.

Elder S likes to look for pictures in the Liahona that look like me and then put them on his planner haha...I dont know why!

Week #55

CONGRATULATIONS!

WOW!

I was super super touched to see all the pictures of the week and read the stories! And super grateful not to see any bragging pictures of food! But I was thinking of you guys all day on Saturday and I am so happy that it all went super well and that Thanksgiving was as classic and family like as it always has been :) it really made me miss you guys!

The sealing sounded super spiritual! I am glad that Mike was able to use some of Grandpas clothes! That made me laugh a little to think that he accidentally forgot them! But we are all human! Haha That is cool that you got to take pictures! I didn't know that you could take pictures there! I am so grateful that the feeling of peace and the blessings are already in affect :) I have definitely set the goal for temple marriage one day and it won't be replaced!

This week was an interesting week! I will start off with quite a funny story! My Thanksgiving started off good with us studying as normal! We had planned for the interview with Hermana C and President McM (because of some homosexual stuff) for this day, so I was studying a little bit for that to help her prepare when we get a call from Hermana C. I answered kind of hesitant because she is never up at 8 AM but all she wanted was to know what time we would be coming to her house that day, so I told her at 6 PM and she told me thanks and then hung up. 

After I told Elder Stanley that I really thought she was going to back out last minute of this interview just knowing the bad luck I have! Right when those words left my mouth the phone rang again and it was Hermana C...I was like no way... so I answer really hesitant and she tells me that she wont be able to be baptized on Saturday...so I ask her why and she says she still has woman problems...and she asked us to pass by so she could explain. I was so sad! We had worked so hard by teaching her and preparing her, but either way she still needed an interview with President McM. 

So Elder S and I did a few practices for our Companionship Study to try to help her, we didn't want to know the details because we aren't authorized to hear it so we had to be very careful with the questions. So we go to visit her and we say the prayer, and Elder Stanley starts talking to her trying to think of the right question to ask, when she asks us if we wanted to know what happened. So Elder S says yes but not with too many details...so she gives a this really vague description that I really wasn't expecting or even understood! So I told her I didn't understand, and Elder S looks at me and whispers in English she's on her period! Then it all made sense! WOMAN PROBLEMS...I WAS WAY OFF! Haha it was a huge sigh of relief and a great laugh. 

The interview would go good! The thing we found out is that Hermana C has limited freedom to say a long story short, she just needs to sign some papers which need money. So she needs to save money and sign them and she will be ready! So it was a little bummer, but it wasn't what I had initially thought thank goodness!

The week would end with us traveling to do some Baptismal interviews for Santa Rosa! Which was super sweet. I have interviewed about 10 people from there so they always welcome me like one of their long lost kids! We helped with the baptismal service for witnesses so it was good to feel the spirit of baptism! Definitely another motivation for me and Elder S!

Well tomorrow I will find out what happens with the Changes. I feel that I will leave. I have no idea why or do I want to! I would love to stay and have Elder S stay with me but its not very probable!

I am so happy to read and feel the spirit of Thanksgiving and the sealing through the pictures and the letters! Thank you all for your love and support and I hope that you have a good week! I will write more next week! I love you and pray for you always!

Love Always,
Elder Milton 

Week #54

Hola Familia!

Wow it seems that you guys are on the same schedule as Paraguay! I have seen a few people put up Christmas lights this week also! Except it is burning hot so it still kind of confuses me this Christmas in summer deal haha...but the lights look really good! Kody has no fear...I would NEVER go on the roof! My hands are getting sweaty thinking about it as I am typing!

Sounds like most of the plans are finalized for the big trip! I am still quite jealous! Its an old school trip back to Las Vegas! But most importantly I am super happy about this sealing! I look forward to pictures and I will be thinking a lot about you guys this week. Thanksgiving as many know doesn't exist here so I will go one more year turkeyless! But that is okay I am happy to continue to work here in San Pedro.

This week we had a good Unity Counsel and it seems that some of the members are getting motivated to work! Last week our group leader Hermano J, his daughter randomly passed out so they went to Asuncion and I guess it was a really bad anxiety attack. From what she told them I guess its from all the kids and her cousins picking on her because she is a member of the church! I felt so bad and even worse when this family was thinking about leaving the church. I talked to them and calmed them down luckily and tried to inspire them, and it worked! They came to this counsel willing to help more than ever! His daughter is doing a lot better and we are having Family Home Evening with them regularly to help them!

We did stop by the L family this week. She did not want anything to do with us. She told us she wasn't going to go to church anymore because her Mom doesn't like it. So I told her that her Mom has never been, but she has and I know that her and her family like it! So then she countered by saying that all we want to do is baptize her, so I told her if that meant saving her and her family from Hell then yes we want to baptize her! She came up with more excuses about being busy so we gave her the talk by Elder Bednar from General Conference for why we are so persistent and told her we would come by another day! It was sad, but like President told me in my interview, people always do have agency.

Hermana C is progressing so well! She will have an interview this week with President McM and we are planning for a baptism this Saturday! She is ready and she has changed so much. The only thing we are worried about is she is under conditional freedom, so it might be postponed but President will know what is best!

Thank you for the support of my pictures! :) haha something about Elder S just says to mess with him. But he is a good sport and he does fight back! I just don't send you his pictures haha. But I am hoping to stay together one more change with him! But we will find out next week with the word of changes!

I had to be a little hard on the M family this week, they believe that any church that preaches Jesus name is a good church. They are comfortable in the church they are in. So I had to get after them a little bit with their own testimonies of the Book of Mormon and we read 1 Nephi 14 with them. They still didn't come to church but we have hopes for them!

Well the Holidays are almost here! But don't be too bummed or miss me too much! Time is going by fast so please enjoy my absence! Haha :) but all our family memories and times inspire me to look and help families so that they can have similar and long lasting happiness through the gospel! We will skype soon! As soon as I know the schedule I will let you know! Thank you all for your time and love and prayers! I pray for you every day! I love you and I will write more soon! 

Love Always,
Elder Milton

Week #53 - Pictures

Cleaning the well in the rain! 

Elder S snoozing on the sidewalk waiting for our bus at 1  AM - haha it was so funny!

Elder S snoozing again on the bus to Santani! This time I wanted to share some cake with him! haha he hates me for this!

It is the key that Jesus gave to San Pedro¨  I had to hurry before the Catholics got mad at me! 

 (see Matthew 16:18-19)

That is why it is called San Pedro! 

Week #53

Hey family!

How is everyone doing?! I hope super good! It sounds like last week was a good week! I am sad to hear that Mike is still a little bit sick with his nasty cough but I hope he gets over it sooner than later!

The Phoenix Temple dedication sounded so cool! I would've loved to hear the Dedicatory Prayer! Now there are 2 temples I will have to visit when I get back and I am so excited :)

Thanksgiving is so close! It sounds like its going to be a blast! I am quite jealous :) but it will be one that I hope people remember always for Mom and Mike´s sealing! Megan will be Black Friday shopping! That will be so fun! Her dress also looks so pretty! Her hair is still so long! Kali´s hair too! Its so pretty! :) I am sad to see poor Kodys face! Poor guy sleep screams and sleep walks, two deadly combinations!

We started the week out with a service project at Hermana Cs house! We would empty her well and then clean it in the rain! Luckily Elder S was willing to drop in there and clean the deepest part! It wasn't too deep! About 8 meters but it was a cool and uplifting experience :) (no pun intended Mike)

This week would unfold to be an interesting but good one! We would start it out getting right to work and trying to really focus on some of the less actives and the members. Then we would go to Santa Rosa to have a training and our interviews with President McM. Well we got there on time and were studying when he called us up saying that he just left the other area and would be there in 2 hours this was at 12 PM so I decided we would go work and proselyte in Santa Rosa for two hours which was really good! 

He then called me saying they were 20 minutes away so we found our way back to the chapel and started studying again. He calls me in 5 minutes saying they were met with some protesting and didn't know when they would arrive. 3,000 people decided to protest against their debts so that was really weird but it was a peaceful protest! So we go out and work again and he finally calls me at 6 PM saying he was 5 minutes away! 

My interview went really well, we mostly talked about the Unity and its struggles. I expressed to him that I wouldn't want to leave San Pedro because I feel like I haven't left it any better than when I found it! So we will see in a couple weeks if the Lord grants my wish! But he was glad that I was being diligent and that we were working hard and that San Pedro will progress. So it was a great interview! Our training wouldn't end until 9 and we wouldn't catch a bus until 2 AM and get home at 3 AM. But it was so worth it! The Lord blessed me and I wasn't even tired the next day when I had to wake up at 6:30 AM like usual!

We had our branch conference so we had to get up early and travel 3 hours to Santani! So we woke up at 3 and headed out at 4 AM. It was a great conference! Presidnet McM was there and it was a good turn out! Hermana C came and I think she really liked it! We would travel back and I was pretty beat! But it was a great conference! Unfortunately the L family was still traveling but we will be focusing on them this week!

The weather has been really good! My health is good! There really is nothing I can complain about except my attitude that I need to better, but I am working and I am grateful to have this time on my mission and all these crazy experiences! It makes it fun and unforgettable! I love you and I will write more next week!

Love Always,
Elder Milton 

Week #52 - Pictures

Fish for my birthday!

It rained and flooded our yard! We had to sweep the water so it wouldn't flood the church!

I finally constructed this frame...I have been sleeping on the floor WAY too long!

Week #52

Dear Family!

I am glad to read again that everyone is doing good! I am sure that everyone is having fun with school and work! Also looking ahead to Thanksgiving! I would be excited too! Except Thanksgiving doesn't exist here...or anywhere else besides The United States :)

52 weeks! That is actually quite crazy! I try to keep it hush hush here in San Pedro! Having a year in the mission qualifies you to be old and super smart! Which I don't profess that I am either! So I can say that looking back at the year, I have learned SO much. And that I have seen SO much also. Good times and bad I have been super blessed and I am so grateful for the time I have in the mission and I look forward to another year of hard work :) I have much to learn and a lot to accomplish for this next year so thank you for your prayers and support :) this year will go by fast!

This week was a good week of work! The weather was decent! I started the week working with the new Elder R and it was a good division! He had a lot of excitement to talk to people so it was great! The rest of the week we would learn that Hemana L went to Asuncion for the week for some medical check ups. So we are praying for her that she will still be open to us when she returns! Hermana C is doing excellent! She is really changing and understanding! But didn't come to church so we will have to check up on her today! 

We found some new less actives named the M Family. They are an old couple that have a hard time walking to church so they need someone to pick them up! But their testimonies are so strong! They were the first baptisms here in San Pedro 4 years ago! The wife has a huge testimony of the church and the Book of Mormon. She told us she went to the Catholic church for over 40 years but finally got to know who Jesus really is when she joined the Church of Jesus Christ. She expressed to us the regrets of raising her 10 kids in the Catholic Church and now none of them want anything to do with the Church of Jesus Christ. She was really emotional but she told us that she made a covenant with God and that nobody would stop her from keeping it, even her kids! It was super powerful! It impacted me a lot! We will be looking for some of her kids who live here to see if they will open their hearts to our message, so we are excited and determined!

The week would be a good week of work, but very few showed up at church. There is something that I need to do, but I am not quite sure what. So please keep this Unit in your prayers that it can progress! I love you so much and I pray for you guys everyday! I will write more soon next week :)

Love Always,
Elder Milton 

Week #51

Hola Familia!

Hey everyone how is it going?! I hope super good! I am glad that the family enjoyed Halloween! In a very unique way this year :) but I am glad to hear that all is well! I did receive the birthday wishes so thank you so much! :) I didn't really tell anyone it was my birthday, but Elder St did find out by looking at my passport two days before! You know me, I don't like attracting attention to myself but he would tell Elder S and Elder R (big mistake) so they would wake me up at on the 29th and dump flour on me and complemented with a bucket of cold water...but all is good! I like a good prank haha :)

This week was super hot in the beginning! But it would pour this weekend and cool things off, but super muddy!

Well the news is that The Lopez family passed their interviews on Monday! So we were super excited! Then on Wednesday we visited them again to confirm plans for their baptism and Hermana L would tell us that she still isn't ready for baptism. We would try to explain to her that she was ready and that baptism doesn't require someone to know EVERYTHING. We read scriptures with her and tried everything we could to help her realize that she was ready, but her heart hardened and she told us that if we keep pestering her then she won't go to church anymore. It was super sad to hear that! We are doing this out of love and worry for her, and most importantly for her family! So I was really hurt by this. As always it was ultimately her decision. 

I would go to Santa Rosa with Elder R to have a baptismal interview, so I told Elder St to go back and to really help her to pray for her answer if she was ready from God. He went and with a member named L that had a similar doubt and I think she ended up getting more upset. I really don't know. I felt like we did everything we could! We did it all as we were taught and as it instructs in Preach My Gospel. It was really sad. And she didn't go to church. So we will have to visit her and her family and help them.

Not everything was negative this week! We did have a Hermana named C C come to church and she is progressing super good! We are helping her stop drinking alcohol and she is reading the Book of Mormon a ton! She came with her son L and they are super nice!

Everything happens for a reason! I have to learn something or I need to help prepare the L family more! Whatever it is I will discover it and carry on :) as I am supposed to! But thank you all for your wishes and prayers! I hope all is good and I love and miss you all! I will write more next week!

Love Always,

Elder Milton

Week #50

Hello family! 

¿Mba´écheipa?

Thank you so much for the birthday wishes!! :) 20 is actually a number that scares me! I think if I were with you guys then it would sink in a little more! But my birthday this year will pass just like any other day in the mission! :) So I don't feel 20 in the least bit! But thank you so much for your love and your wishes! I cant believe it is 50 weeks! That does shock me! That just means these next 54 weeks I will have to work even harder than I already have! :)

I loved the package! Thank you so  much! A used paperback Spanish Idiom book is perfect! I have really started to study the Guarani grammatics and...its really hard haha. But I am learning! ¿Mba´écheipa? Means how are you?

The adventures of the kids in Apple Annies looked super fun! It reminded me of all the pumpkin patch adventures that Megan and I had! Did you guys get some peaches?! I have seen some of their peaches! They were so huge!! Megan is growing up! Looking at her Senior pictures really slapped me in the face! haha metaphorically speaking! They were beautiful! :)

Because of him was a super good video and caused a couple tears to roll down my cheeks but it really is amazing. We are so blessed!

Well the news about the changes is: I am staying and finishing the training of Elder St! Which is what I wanted! So I cant complain! Elder R would end up leaving to go work in the mission office as the new mail man, so Elder S is now training a new Elder from Peru named Elder R! Elder S left and now the Zone leaders are now in my district! So this will be a new experience!

The L family is doing really good! They came to church and we prepared them all last week the best we could! So today at 5 PM they will have their baptismal interview! We are so excited for them! :) We are so blessed to have people progressing in the Gospel and making changes in their lives!

Funny story time! Elder S and I got prepared to go to a service project in the Friday morning. We got there and it turns out the family wasnt home...so we walked back to our house really bummed not to give Moroni attention. As we were walking home we pass this guy who gets off his motorcycle dressed in a Monster Energy drink shirt walking towards his house. So I decide to stop him and talk to him! We are dressed in our service clothes. I ask him if he likes Monster and he told me he loved it, so I told him I really liked it too! He was super surprised and went off explaining that he rides motorcross and that is where he got this shirt. So I put a Gospel twist on it to tell him who we are and what we do! He was super nice and receptive! Out of nowwhere he asked us if we like fish? So I told him yes, so he then told us to hold on for a second and he ran inside and came back with a bag with 5 good sized fish! Told us to take them and to cook them up! They were cleaned and everything! So that would be our lunch to share with Elder S and Elder R! But It was so awesome! Fish is super expensive here! So it was so genuine! We have to go back and talk to him!

So this week was another scorcher! But as usual filled with blessings! Thank you so much for all your prayers and thoughts :) I love and pray for you always! I will write more next week! :)

Love Always,
Elder Milton

Week #49 - Pictures

Service with Elder R. I got some new blisters for the first time in forever!

Cleaning the font!

Elder S., LS, and I for the baptism!

Week #49

Hey Family!

This week I did get your email! And I was super excited to see this trip that you guys took! I am happy that you guys got to go and experience another Open House! They are so spiritual even if they haven't been dedicated! That is so cool that Dolores and John got to go. I am certain they felt something there, now they just need the help to recognize it! That is super awesome! The pictures were all super pretty! I definitely have to visit it when I get back!

Sounds like everyone is doing really good in school and I am super happy that everyone is healthy especially with this weird sickness epidemic(I dont know what it is in English) but its pretty scary! So I am grateful to my Heavenly Father that everyone is healthy and happy :) 

This week was a good week! We worked hard and sweated a lot. My companion definitely has the Lord on his side! I don't know how he hasn't burned to a crisp yet! I am somehow still getting grossly dark but as we say here ¨Así es la misión¨ so we will continue to work hard and enjoy the sun! haha

On Monday we left at night to get to Santani on time to our Zone conference! So it was another fun sleep over at the church! I learned a bunch this Zone conference! It really helped me! You guys should look up a video on the church website called Because of Him. It is super powerful! But It was a really good conference! We learned to Love people as the Lord does! I loved it! 

I also received your package! I LOVED IT AND THANK YOU! I am reading the book and it is super good! I love the Tie and I am waiting for the perfect moment to use it!The Captain America pin was awesome! Thanks Megan! But I have to say my favorite part were the letters :) thank you! The pictures scared me! But they were so beautiful Megan! And Kali and Kody are so big!! Ah it was crazy! But thank you SO much! 

This week was a baptism of the unity! There is a little boy named LS that we were able to teach and to participate in his baptism! He wanted Elder S to baptize him so my son had his first baptism! He was super excited and super nervous! So the day of the Baptism comes on Saturday and we clean the font (mini swimming pool) and then I start looking for the baptismal clothes and I don't find them. I call Elder R and he has no idea either! I go to the other house of the other missionaries and they don't know either! So I look for these clothes for a good 3 hours and nothing. Elder S decides that we should pray for help so we did. After that we looked a little more and we received a call from the other Elders saying that they found them! We would find out that they were all in a black garbage bag, hadn't been washed since the last baptism in July, and somebody had thrown them in the trash! So out of them I found the smallest one for LS and hand-washed it. It was nasty but It was the answer to our prayers that we found it! So I wasn't as upset as I normally would've been! But The baptism was really good! The L family came and they really enjoyed it. So it energized them for their baptism :) so we are super blessed and super excited! On Sunday I would confirm LS and it was a huge honor! He is only the 2nd person I have confirmed so I was super blessed and filled with the Spirit! 

Well this week was a good one! And it would end the change! I am certain I will stay and Elder S also...but who knows! But I am excited to be here and to continue the work here! Thank you all for your love and support! Thank you for the package and the Birthday wishes! I love you all so much! I pray for you always! I will write more next week!

Love,

Elder Milton 

Week #48

My Dear Family!

I hope this email finds everyone in good spirits (probably not considering its a Monday haha), but I hope the week went well and all are ready for another week more!

Well let me start this letter by saying it was a good week! On Wednesday we had the interview with Hermana L and she will need a little more time! She expressed to the interviewer (Presidente M) that she wants to be baptized and receive these blessings! She is super humble and excited to continue on with her life. So we set another date and goal for November 1st!  They are super excited and we will continue to help them out and really prepare them. I wasnt bummed out about the interview! I am glad that she can prepare even more so that she can be a firm believer in the Atonement of Jesus Christ and in his church and gospel!

The week really heated up! And I guessed it right, we started rocking he sombreros again! My companion looks like a goofball/rice farmer haha but at least he isnt cooking! I will send pictures next week. But it was a good trial of our diligence and I feel that we overcame out natural man this week and worked hard!  

On Thursday we decided to go exploring a part of our area that I hadn't been to yet, and we found a sister that had recently returned from the hospital and she begged us to come in and to ¨pray for her¨ because her leg is really swollen up and can't really walk so we came and taught about the Priesthood Authority and blessings, and we gave her a blessing that she would continue to recuperate and have the faith to walk. After that she asked us if we could go ¨pray¨ for one of her neighbors that the son got bit by this dog and went to the hospital to get it stitched up! 

So we went over there and the Mom let us come in and we taught them and explained to them why we came and the Mom was more than willing to let us ¨pray¨ for her son. We could give him a blessing and we told him that he would heal quickly and healthily. At the end of the blessing the Mom was crying and she thanked us and asked us to come by again next week! So it was super good! All because I had a desire to explore an Area that I haven't been in.

This week we watched conference and let me say this was the most spiritual conference that I have ever watched! Maybe it was becuase I wasnt in pajamas, or I stayed awake! But It was so amazing to put myself in the shoes of the L family and watch the Prophet as if it were my first time. I guess I have taken it granted all my life...but they loved the conference! Especially Sister L. It is hard for me to pick a favorite talk...but when Elder Hugo Martinez came on I thought he was speaking English! Because the translator wasn't translating, so I was like what is going on! Then I realized like everyone else that he gave his talk in Spanish! It was super good! It was an amazing conference!

So this week was good! And as always I was super blessed! I am proud to be out here and to have this chance to serve. Thank you for keeping me in your prayers! I love you guys so much and pray for you all the time! I will write more next week!

Love Always,
Elder Milton

Week #47 - Pictures

This one is for Kody! This thing was dead luckily...It was so huge! Bigger than my cell phone!

The church plaque! We need to find someone to hang it up outside the house! 

At the river with the L family! It was so beautiful!

Week #47

Hola Familia!

Well I think I got here a little early again or something went wrong with the computer! I never know haha but the time has changed here! I know in Arizona its the same but here it went up an hour, so that might be why that it might seem I am on a little earlier! I dont know Its a little confusing haha!

This week was another blessed week! We were able to teach a lot and find some new people! And at the same time continue to work with the L and A Families! This week it heated up a little bit too! We will have to start using sombreros pretty soon! My companion is super white and will burn to a crisp if he is not careful! I guess I could say the same thing about me too...but I am a tad bit darker than he is! haha

This week was really focused on the L family. On Monday we asked the son E to take us and show us where the river is! Turns out the whole family accompanied us! It was BEAUTIFUL! We walked there for about 45 minutes and through jungle, countryside, and through some bodies of water that E gave us piggy back rides! It was super pretty. I could only complain that it was blistering hot! and super humid with the river so close but the way there was so gorgeous. I wish I would've taken more pictures but I will soon!   We got there and the kids swam and E fished a little bit and we looked for a good place for the baptism but it might be a little difficult because it takes a little while to get there and its a lot of jungle! 

But as the week continued we finished teaching all the required lessons! So we started to prepare them for the baptismal interview and as we did, the mom Sister S admitted to us that she has committed abortion. This would mean she have to be interviewed by President McM or one of his counselors. I was so sad! Because she has been with this guilt for more than half or her life, always trying to go to church and taking her family with her to try to make it right with God. I cant imagine having this burden for so much time. It really made me so grateful for the knowledge of the Atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ. We told her that she could repent of this sin and receive forgiveness but it will require effort on her part! So she will have this interview on Wednesday.

The rest of the week would be good and we would visit the L family to continue to teach them and relearn somethings, and then came Sunday when the time changed! Here the majority of the cellphones don't change automatically, well we knew that but almost all the members forgot about the time change! So we didn't have very many people show up. I was freaking out because the L family didn't show up either! Until the last hour(Sacrament) they showed up and admitted they had forgotten! But they came and I was so relieved! We will be watching conference next week after I download it because we didn't receive the satellite transmission here so everyone is excited for next week! Some people have never seen it! They have only read it in the Ensign! So I am excited to see how they love it!

So that was basically my week! It was really good and really blessed as always! We are praying for the L family and the Lord is answering our prayers and theirs so we are super humbled and grateful for the miracle the Lord is performing with this beautiful family! Thank you for all your prayers! I am so grateful to be as healthy as I am and to have the guidance I need! I love you all and I pray for you always! I will write more next week!

Love,
Elder Milton 

Letter Home - Dated September 10, 2014

Dear Family,

Well, here I am again!  As I am writing you guys this letter, I am waiting in the Luque Stake Center to have our changes.  We had to leave at 10:30 p.m. yesterday and we finally arrived at 4:30 a.m.   So now, we are waiting for all the other missionaries to get here at 7:45 a.m.   So, as you guys already know, Elder R got changed to Luque and I am going to have a son!  Well, in the Mission, ha ha!  I will have the privilege to train a new missionary!  It is likely he will be from the United States, so that would make him my first "Gringo" companion.  I am a little nervous because I don't know my area too well, and I am still called to be the district leader!  So, it will be a little more responsibility!  But all in all, I am excited!

So, we have been working really hard with all the members of help them be strong and basically wake up!  My new companion and I will continue to work with this vision.  We are preparing these pioneers for the future!

Also, the C.  family is doing good!  I am to impressed by them.  J., about a year ago, gave up smoking and drinking without knowing the gospel!  He was tired of the way his life was going, so he made the necessary changes!  We haven't taught him the Word of Wisdom yet, but it was another testimony this he was definitely prepared if he wants it.  So we will continue to help them.  His mom, Hermana M. is super awesome!  She knows the Bible super well and applies all the doctrine.  She can't ready anymore because of her sight but we are going to download the Book of Mormon audio so that she can listen to it while she works washing clothes.

Well, as you all know, my birthday is soon!  And also, I will have one year in the mission!  I cam constantly amazed how fast time goes. . .  But the good news is I am working and taking advantage of the little time I have.  So, please keep praying for me and the people here!  I love you guys and I will write more very soon!  You are all in my prayers!

Love always,
Elder Milton

Week #46

Hola Familia!

I did get the email this week! And I was super excited! I never thought that you guys forgot about me so don't worry about that! I just figured it was the computer as usual! But it did put a smile on my face to read this email and read that everyone is doing really good!

Well this week actually started out pretty funny! And I guess a little scary for Elder St and one other Elder in my district named Elder Sm! Both being new haven't really done anything with a division...so guess what I did?! Not only did I do a division but I also left Elder St in our area and I went with Elder Sm in his area! So if you could imagine these poor guys with only 3 weeks in the field wondering what to do! Haha okay so it wasn't that bad I helped Elder St a bunch to prepare and I did it with the purpose because they need to learn! So when I went to Elder Sm's area this week...we got so lost for 4 hours...but I will say it helped me help him more with talking to people and practicing his contacting in Spanish! Elder St did great while I was gone! So It turned out really good! They just didn't believe that I was going to actually force them to do this...so that was funny! 

This week was a good test! After having such a super good week last week the Lord blessed us with rain ALL week! So at first it was normal but by the end of the week we had to fight against the natural man and go out and work! The district did great this week also in this aspect, so I am pleased! We taught all our investigators several times this week, The L, A, and C families! So we were super happy and all really are progressing besides the C family. Turns out J might be moving so hes been gone a lot so his sister and his mom are doing okay! But Sunday comes along and 9 o clock hits and not one of them come to church! So I start teaching the Gospel Principles class and slowly all the people start showing up....like a bunch of people and members! But still no investigators! So everyone time someone would walk in I would have this false hope! So I finally gave up...and right when I did the L family walked in! I was so happy! And they have a baptismal date of October 11! There is the Mom S and her two kids E- 16 years old and S- 10 years old so we are super excited to help them a bunch this week and prepare! We are going to the river today with E to check it out to see if it is safe for the baptism so we will see! :) 

So this week was a good week! We just had to work at it and it wasn't all given to us like the other one! So it was good and we got a lot done! I have realized that the members here really trust me! I guess lacking a bishop or a president they probably look up to me for something! So I feel honored and privileged to work with them and help them! This week is General Conference and we won't be watching this week, but next week we will download it and watch it with the members so don't spoil anything! But then again I don't know what that really means...its general conference its not like a movie so there shouldn't be spoilers? haha well thank you for all your prayers :) I love you all and I pray for you! I will write more next week :)

Love

Elder Milton

P.S. Super slow today! I will send more pictures next week :) 

Week #45 - Pictures

Machetes with Elder S!

The new district! 

From Left to right: Elder W, Elder S, Elder R, Elder S, Elder S and Elder Milton in our Zone Conference!

We started to go home after a rainy day, almost dry...and then it rained harder than it did all day so I got the most soaked at the end of the day

Week #45

Dear Family!

Well I didnt get the letter again this week but that is how it goes with the computers here in San Pedro! They really need to update a few things haha. I think I am using Windows Explorer 1 or the first edition! But that is okay I cant complain because I still get to write with email which is better than nothing haha :)

This was an awesome week! We started our week with a little traveling to our zone conference which required us to leave at10:30 at night to Santani which is 3 hours away. We had to leave at that time because the next bus leaves at 8 in the morning and our zone conference started at that time so there was no way around it! So the zone leaders were so nice enough to hide the key to the chapel so when we got there we could sleep in the chapel! So that was a first, a sleep over with 6 missionaries in the church! I would wake up the next morning to a camera flash because it was a once in a life time experience haha.

The zone conference was really good! We learned alot from our zone leaders and also President McM came so it was super good! We would also take advantage of the trip and have another division so Elder S went stayed in Santani and I came back to San Pedro with Elder H from Utah! He would stay in our area for two days doing some divisions with some other missionaries but the Thursday he was with me it was pouring rain, POURING. It was pretty bad that some of the missionaries in my zone called me asking me if they had to go out and work today. I told them that they didn't have to do anything but I promised them that if they went out and worked that they would find an investigator of Gold as they say in the mission. So Elder H and I left in the rain without anything because at this time we didn't know it was going to rain, and we got soaked! From head to toe. 

When we were walking down the street(the only ones) we passed by this house and this family was under their roof and we waved to them and they looked at us really funny! It made me laugh and then I felt that we should go back to talk to them to explain our circumstances. We would end up talking to them and teaching them about the Restoration and wanted us to come back another day to talk more! So we didn't have a problem with that and we had found our golden investigators the Acosta family as I had promised!

The next day I was on another division with Elder S from from Brazil and as we were walking when we passed by this house and a lady saw us and begged us to come in to teach her! Her excitement really triggered our alarms because nobody does this so she had to be on drugs or drunk! But we carefully went into her house and she  sat us down with her Family and asked us to teach her! She has family that are members and she had always wanted to learn from the Missionaries! But this was the first time she has seen us pass by her house! So we taught them and they loved it! I also taught some of the Kids English and we ended a realy good lesson! They are named the L Family.  Another huge blessing!

This week M, J, and A were a little difficult! We taught them with one of their friends that was there when we passed by and listened to us with them but really put a lot doubts in their minds so that was really frustrating. We would pass by again later in the week and teach the Word of Wisdom. Sister M doesn't want to give up smoking because she will get fat so it was difficult to challenge her to live the Word Of Wisdom but she said she would try!

When Sunday came we were super pleased and embarrassed to see The L family and the A family as the first families to come to church right on the dot at 9 o clock! Before the members! They all came and loved it so we are really hopeful for them to progress! The C family didn't come but we will visit them today to see what happened! But the two families that we had found came to church and it was so great! A huge blessing from the Lord!

Elder S is doing good! I am giving him more and more opportunities to talk and he is really learning quick! I assigned him a talk on Sunday so he gave an excellent talk! The people love him for how humble he is even though he cant talk! He is doing great and becoming a great missionary! He used a machete for the first time this week and had a blast! It was fun to teach him how to use a machete!

Well I am doing excellent as you can read and I feel that I worked hard this week! I will continue to do so and work for this unity! :) I was so blessed this week. Thank you for your prayers and your love! I love you all so much and pray for you all the time! I will write more soon! 

Love,
Elder Milton

Letter Home Dated August 18, 2014

Dearest Family,

HEY!  Well, you might have noticed that I was able to send this letter through the pouch mail.  This week, I will have a meeting with the President and his assistants.  They came up to Santa Rosa and I also had my interview, so I had to take advantage and send this letter out with them back to the office.

Well, anyways.  How is everyone doing?  I recently read today in my e-mail that school is in full swing.  That's pretty awesome.  I am still pretty surprised that we have a new dog!  I hope that he is well taken care of!

Elder Milton is doing great!  San Pedro has a lot of work and it keeps my busy.  Also, a lot of traveling.  By the end of this month, I will have over 24 hours of travel time.  But all in all, it is going really well.

My District is doing good also!  I feel that I have gained their trust and I feel confident to lead them, and most importantly, motivate them.  One companionship lives an hour and a half away so we have our District Meetings a little different than normal.  On Monday's, we work and teach in the morning until lunch.  After lunch, we officially start our "P-day".  Then at 6:00 p.m. we have our District Meeting.  So these guys sacrifice a good part of their "P-day" traveling for the District Meeting. They are great and work to, and they never complain.  But I have felt so blessed and inspired with my District.  Most of the time, I don't know why I say things or what to say.  But it always goes good in my District Meetings and they are learning a lot!  I guess the promise in Doctrine and Covenants 84:85 is fulfilled with me everyday!  I work for that!

Well, as I continue to serve my mission, the more gratitude I have for the things we have at home.  Namely a home centered in the principles in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Because of that, I have been blessed with knowledge and understanding.

Thank you all for your love and support!  I love you all dearly and I pray for you all the time!  I know that this is the lord's work and I will continue working my hardest.  I will write more soon!  CHAU!!

Love always,
Elder Milton

P.S. it is almost Christmas!  I can't believe it!!

Week #44 - Pictures

Last picture with Elder GC!

My son! Elder S from Utah!

With Elder GE (From Thatcher!!!) in the Migrations office!