Snow Day and Baptism Day - February 13, 2017

 

Sis. Holguin, Michael and Patricia
2/19/17



This was a stellar week :) from a snow day to a baptism, indeed it was crazy.

On Tuesday I went on exchange with Sister Hernandez, a new sister that has about 2 months in the mission. Her family is from Mexico and her companion (sister Fernandez) is also Mexican. I'm now an honorary member of the Mexican Hermana's club. There's a lot of them. Haha! We had fun though! We went to a member's house for dinner and ended up teaching her grandson who had a ton of questions for us! He left for Texas the next day but we've been in touch through Facebook a little. He's a cool cat. He's got some buddies that aren't super great but he really wants to change! So well keep working with him and see what we can do :) 

We saw Patricia and Michael almost every night this week and they had their baptismal interviews during the week!

Thursday morning we woke up to like 4 inches of snow on the ground and a terrible blizzard blowing outside. On our morning Book of Mormon reading call as a mission with President he told us we shouldn't drive that day at all if we could avoid it! So SNOW DAY WOOO!!

 

casually thanking the angels around us
2/16/17

 

 

🎉 we went out and played in the snow for a few minutes between studies and weekly planning and that was so fun!! I made a beautiful snow angel and sister Holguin had a good time jumping in the snow! It was the first time she's seen that much snow and it might be the last time unless she comes to live with me in Utah someday! (Fingers crossed) it was super fun. And we ended up planning for most of the day so it was good. We visited a couple members that night before we went to Patricia's for her interview. Good news: we didn't die on the way there!! She is so darn cute, she brought us out juice and crackers and cheese and everything while we waited. Man I love her :) 

Sunday we had the baptism! Woo!!! It was so funny. We had asked Michael if he had a white button-up shirt and he said he did, so Sunday morning we reminded him not to forget his towel, undies, and white shirt. Patricia called us when we walked out of branch council and told us he had left the house to go buy a white shirt and she wasn't going to come to church without him!! Haha Michael!! And it was hailing outside, it was so ugly!! So we got through the sacrament and then she texted us and told us he'd made it home. Some members went to get them and he ended up forgetting undies and a towel anyway! So during the second hour we went home to get a towel and some treats from a member who couldn't make it to church. The Zone Leaders, Elders Peterson and Hicks, totally saved our lives helping us fill the font and get the TV for videos. Sister Holguin and I sang "Cuando Me Bautice" (I know when I am baptized) and it went well! The baptism was beautiful. Good stuff all around. And almost the whole branch stayed for the baptism, it was great! We had a good crowd :) 

 

Anyways, I just love Michael and Patricia. My heart is just overflowing with love for them all the time. 

In other news, this week I hit a year on the mission. I had a mini-mental breakdown that day because I love this place and these people and this name tag and it hurts me a lot to think about the day it'll end.

Patricia and Michael - February 6, 2017



Table stand
 

We saw Patricia and/or Michael every day this week! And seriously,
they have been prepared by God to hear our message. We'll
see them tonight and throughout the week and they'll be ready to be
baptized Sunday! It'll be really awesome :) I seriously love them so
much. They've become like real brothers and sisters for me. I pray for
them and think about them all the time and love them to death. I know
I had to come here on my mission to meet them. And maybe they didn't
need Hermana Millington but they needed some Hermana's to come find
them. And we actually didn't! Haha! It was our zone leaders, Elder
Hicks and his comp at the time, Elder Trask. They knocked their door
and Elder Hicks knows a little dominican slang so he got us a return
appointment! Haha and she told us the other day when we couldn't see
her for a couple weeks after our first appointments she was usually
there in the house, but she told her mom to tell us she wasn't because
she didn't want to see us. Mean, right? Haha but it's okay :) we kept
coming and she was going through a hard time. And then when it all
came crashing down for her we were there :) more that Christ was there
and we were His representatives, but I really know the gospel has
changed her life. She already wants to host a branch party at her
house and Michael is going to go out with Elder Hicks and Peterson
after his baptism :) he wants to serve a mission so bad! It's amazing.

In other news, we had a couple exchanges this week! The STL life is
good, it's just overwhelming sometimes. While I have so many
weaknesses as a regular missionary, I have even more as a sister
training leader! Haha. There's a lot we have to improve. But it's
good! We're doing our best and that's all we can do. I had a couple
good exchanges with Sister Higginbotham and Sister Peña. They're sweet
sisters :) i hope we help them out a little.

Anyway, it's been a good week. I'm just about to finish the Book of
Mormon again in English! Woo! I read it this time studying for prayer
and the Holy Ghost and I've learned a lot. I also recently listened to
this talk by Stephen R Covey called "An Educated Conscience" that
talks a lot about how the Holy Ghost talks to us. You should find it
and listen to it!! It really changed my perspective of how the spirit
speaks to me. I learned that a lot of times impressions will come to
us just through our thoughts and our conscience. And that's what it
talks about in Ether 4 and Moroni 7-- whatever is good is from God :)
we just have to actually follow-through on the little things He
inspires us to do.

Man, it's crazy to think it's almost been a year for little Sister
Millie out here. Can you believe that? Time has gone by too fast. It
makes me super sad to think this time is so special and sacred and it
won't last forever. Don't worry, I'm not getting trunky ;) but it is
interesting to think about where I was a year ago at this time: what I
thought about missionary work and the gospel and life and myself. I
think I've changed. I don't know, it's hard to see, really! But I
think when you see me again you'll see I'm a little different. It's
true what Dad always said about a lifetime of experience in 18/24
months and how it puts you on a higher plane. My priorities and
thoughts, words, and actions, are different than a lot of my 21
year-old friends in the world. It's amazing to think about the people
the Lord has put in my life in the last year. My heart has grown
1,000x bigger. I didn't realize I had so much love for so many people
I hadn't even met yet! And to think I could have gone my whole life
without them!! Que tristeza. To think I could have lived this whole
time without knowing the Vegas and Gloria or Alexiz and Noe and Walter
and Edwin or Patricia and Michael and the Mendoza's and the Torres and
the Guevaras and all these AMAZING people. I just love them way too
much :)

A week full of Newark - January 30, 2017

1/26/17

 This week was really good! Patricia and Michael are
progressing like pros. We saw them Tuesday and taught Michael
the restoration and it was awesome. He said the closing prayer and
prayed for us by name, prayed they would be ready to be baptized, and
then prayed he could be a missionary someday too!! Isn't that sweet?!
Not many 17 year old, not-member kids (especially in New Jersey) want
to serve missions. So that was really amazing:) we love them! And
we'll be seeing them every day this week to help them prep for their
baptism the 12th!

We had a funny experience this Thursday. We were going to pick up some
sisters in Jersey City for an exchange, and I took a really dumb wrong
turn. We ended up on this giant bridge that was un-exit-able. Ugh I
was so frustrated. I hate being late! But sister Holguin was stoked
because she'd always wanted to go on this huge bridge. Haha so she
starts taking a video of this whole thing. We drive all the way across
and go to turn around and get back on, and on the on-ramp we hit a
GIANT pot-hole. And our tire popped. So here we are, 8 pm and totally
dark, on the edge of Newark, NJ, one of the most dangerous areas of
the mission. So we call our car guy and he tells us what we have to
do, and we start calling all the elders in Newark to get some help
with our tire. And our phone battery was dying! And no one was
answering!! So we walk around a little and all around us are these
factories and trucks and NO PEOPLE. So deserted. But we were armed
with our Books of Mormon and I had the keys in my pocket ready to
shank anyone, so we were okay. So we stand in this corner and pray and
we feel we need to go back the other way. We do, and we find
civilization!! We found this little Portuguese barbecue place and keep
calling everyone and their dog. Eventually we found the Portuguese
elders and they were so funny! They're like "no sisters!! No!! You
can't be here, it's so late! It's so dangerous! Where are you? We're
on our way! No sisters!!" Haha so we send them the address and they
came and checked out our car.



We pulled it off the on-ramp and into
this awkward little corner away from everything (perfect placement by Heavenly Father 👌🏼). Elder Santana and Elder Núñez got to work on the tire and it took an hour! The jack was dumb and he car almost fell like twice on this poor elder. But we gave them our gloves and Gatorade because we didn't know how else to help!! But we prayed a lot and we learned a lot. We learned the Lords timing is perfect. We learned not to ignore promptings that exchanges shouldn't happen-- the
Lord will make His will known and done, even if it means popping your tire. We learned more about the comfort and strength of the priesthood. We learned that even in scary moments in the dark in Newark the Book of Mormon and prayer bring peace and assurance everything will be okay :). And everything was!!




Then the next day we accidentally drove to Newark AGAIN. So I don't
know why the Lord kept sending us there haha but it was an adventure
for sure :)

We had our first exchange this week, too! It was pretty different,
both the sisters came to our area. I went with sister Malafu, from
Hawaii! She just came to the mission, she's adorable :) we had a
really good time together and tried to find some people! It's actually
super awesome, our area gets double work on exchanges!! Woo!!

Anyway, it was a great week. I love my companion more than life and
all is good in he hood :) keep praying for Patricia and Michael!! ❤❤

BBH
Hermana Millie

Happy Barf-Day Sister Holguin ❤ - January 23, 2017

Ah man. This week, you guys. So many ups and downs!! Here's a recap:

Tuesday at 3 am I woke up. I'll spare you all the details, but I slept
in the bathroom all night in the corner, waking up periodically to
spew my guts out. It was rough. At about 6:45 AM we called the mission
nurse and she said we should get some pepto, Dramamine, and gatorades.
So we called our beloved zone leaders and they came to the rescue!! It
was actually cool, they came and gave me a priesthood blessing and I
really felt the power and difference of the priesthood in our home.
But those poor guys, we looked like death. Haha but we spent the whole
day sleeping. Literally we were probably awake a total of like 4
hours. We slept on the floor, the chairs, the bed, everywhere. It was
a really really rough day.

Wednesday and Thursday we did some good work! Saw some good people,
taught some good lessons, ya know. Then Friday was Sister Holguin's
birthday!! Woooo!! That day we had zone conference in Union City! It
went well, learned some good stuff, ate some good food :) haha! We
also had a funny lunch-time game where President sand and sister
Taggart danced a little-- their hippy side came out hahaha i was
dying!! I love them so much. I also got that package from mom that
day!! Woohoo! Then we went to the Mendoza house and had some Hindu
food and some birthday cake for sister Holguin-- they put these
candles on it that would not distinguish!! She tried so many times, poor
thing! And the fire alarm started going off!! Hahahaha it was good :)
and yummy chocolate cake! We love that family. Then we went to the
Guevara's and had baleadas! I thought they were alright, but they
didn't agree with sister Holguin.. they gave us the cake to take home
and as we drove home it took everything she had to hold it in.. as
soon as we walked in the front door she went to the bathroom and threw
it all up :( poor thing!! On her birthday!! :(

Saturday was good! We did a table stand on Bergenline, and then went to see this new investigator, and her sister. But it was weird. We couldn't feel the spirit at all. And we don't know why!!But we didn't know what to say or teach or anything. It was weird. But
we showed a video and then left. Then to Rodolfo Torres' house and had
"correlation" and they fed us some spaghetti and salad. Then we went
to see another investigator and they fed us Mangu, this typical
Dominican food. It was good, but it was just WAY too much food! But
they're sweet :)

Sunday was the BEST. Patricia came to church with her two kids! But
not the oldest because he was visiting his aunt in the hospital. But
all good! In gospel príncipes our teacher wasn't there yet so we began
to teach her the Plan of Salvation! We had 3 members there and it all
went really well. When we finished, she said "can I tell you
something? I've been praying a lot about all this to know if this
church is true and all this, and I just received my answer. This whole
plan just answered my questions." What!? So cool!! So we asked her if
she would follow the example of Jesus Christ and be baptized and she
said "of course!!" We asked her for Feb 11th and she said "yeah!
Totally! Just tell me what I need to do and I'll do it! I could get
baptized today!!" Haha it was so awesome!! Seriously, the spirit was
so strong. And then all the cute members were bearing testimony about
how this will be the best decision of her life and everything. So
cute!! Haha :) then after she asked us if her son could get baptized
that day too! We said yeah but we have to teach him a ton and she was
like "cool! Sounds good! He'll be so excited, he really liked church!"
And he went to YM Tuesday too! Stellar kid. Then that night after some
other lessons we showed up at our members house and their cousins were
over! So we had a little FHE and taught the Book of Mormon and Joseph
Smith and then baptisms and sealings.. haha it was crazy. But
awesome!!

Anyway, it's been a week of some really high highs, and some really
low lows. But the Lord always provides :) and I love Patricia so much.
She's so prepared and so ready and I'm so excited for her! I know she
was one of the reasons I had to come here. I don't know if it was me
specifically, but she definitely needed missionaries right now and we
were blessed to be able to find her :)

I love you guys!! Have a miracle-filled week!!

Sis. Holguin 's Birthday gifts from Idaho

Ps Sister Holguin loved the birthday package!! With all the Idaho spud
bars and everything :) you guys are the best!! ❤❤

Hermana Millington
New Jersey Morristown Mission

Wrong Turn to Harlem - January 16, 2017

 

1/12/2017

1/11/17

 

 

Hey family! I learned so many things this week, you guys. It was really great! I feel like I write you guys all the time with new things I've learned and new ways my life has changed. 

On Tuesday we were SO TIRED. We went to go see this less-active lady but she wasn't there. While I was writing her a note for her door, Sister Holguin literally fell asleep standing up in the hall. Hahaha what?? And I felt like it was really not safe for me to be driving when I was so tired as well. So we went back to the apt for a 15 minute nap so we didn't die on the way to our next appointment. It was super crazy, though. I honestly have never been so tired in my life. But life is so good :)

But this Wednesday we had a really interesting experience: on our way to pick up this YW Chelsy who was coming with us for a mini-mission to our district meeting, we accidentally didn't take the exit we were supposed to and ended up driving around in Harlem for 11 minutes. We have the video of the whole thing. Hahaha it was so insane. We felt so bad and disobedient!! It was really dumb. It was also $15 to get across the George Washing Bridge. So lame. But it was a good adventure I guess :) And Chapman is doing an internship there in Harlem so I was looking for him the whole way, but I didn't find him! Haha it would have been funny, though. Such an adventure. It was a pretty stressful crazy day! But all good in the hood (in Harlem hahaha)

On Sunday our awesome investigator, Patricia, came to church! She's so darn cute :) I love her a lot! And her three sons came as well, I think they enjoyed it a lot. And the branch was so good to her and her kids--there was literally a line to talk to them and help her kids out :) It was so cute!! 

 

Anyway, this week has been a pretty crazy one as well! It just never stops, ya know? Haha life on the mission is just non-stop learning and growing! I love it out here :) My companion is awesome, my area is growing and flourishing, and life is really good. I've come to know that my life is super super blessed and that gives me the ability to know how to love and bless the lives of others through the gospel. I'm thankful for all the things I've been able to experience and see throughout my life and my time here in New Jersey. This place will always have a piece of my heart  :)

Have a miracle-filled week! Les AMOOOO!

Hermana Millie