Elder Gavin Milius: SEND IT 🤘🏼

The week before Christmas!! Can't believe it's already here, it literally feels like yesterday I was home and I'm almost done with training. It's crazy how time flies and yet I still feel like I'm gonna die here lol.

This week we did a lot of knocking. Tuesday Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, somewhat Saturday and Sunday we knocked doors.

Tuesday and Wednesday were both basic days, wake up, do studies, Tuesday we had service, then we went out knocking. Tuesday we didn't find a lot of people but we had some great conversations with people and we are going back on wednesday this week to talk with them again. Wednesday was a little better, we found two new people and talked to a lot more people. We talked to a guy who was really into demonic stuff, he wasn't doing anything demonic, it just interested him. So we talked about the spirit world and how spirits do exist and demons do exist but we try to stay on the good side of all that stuff. He also asked us if we could perform exorcisms and we were like uh technically we do have the power to cast off demons but we wouldn't really call it an exorcism. We have no idea if he's been dealing with demons in his life but hey we are going back today so we will find out. After that we had an amazing lessons with a our progressing guy, we wanted to talk to him about the resurrection and stuff so we had him read 2 Nephi 9 by himself then we were gonna go through it with him. He's told us before about his mom passing away so we wanted him to understand that life does exist after death. After we read the chapter I just felt like I should ask if he believed he would see his mom again, he kinda looked at me then the picture of his mom and said I think so yeah. I just testified that he was right and that life after death does exist and that the resurrection will be the beginning of our perfected immortal bodies. The spirit was so strong and I truly believe he felt his mom near his heart that night.

Thursday was another day for knocking but this time we went dot hopping and knocking. We were in the same neighborhood as some members but we weren't planning on stopping by. As we walked by their house though, the wife opened the door and yelled HEY ELDERS!! We were just stopped and said hi then she let us in their house and we got to talk with them, they made us hot chocolate and gave us ice cream cake. They are like a bomb family, they both are super young so we are all just a bunch of young adults hanging out, it was lit!! Then we went put and finished knocking, didn't find any success but we had a guy who asked who we were, then said that he believes in Jesus christ as our savior and that only through him can we be saved and you guys don't believe that! We just kinda chuckled and said actually we do too sir. He then went on saying he knew all about us and then me and my comp kinda laughed again and said I don't think you do sir..... he then shut the door on our face and we walked away lol.

Friday was an exchange day with Elizabeth River elders, I got to go with my district leader and all we had planned for the day was knocking....more knocking...dinner.....knocking. so thats what we did. We went to their area and we just knocked the heck out of some doors. Talked to a lot of people, found a few new people for them and gained so much more confidence in first contacts. Literally Wednesday and thursday I wasn't doing to hot with knocking and I was getting a little frustrated. So god saw that as an opportunity for me to grow. I was a little bit upset about knocking ALL DAY with my district leader but while I was getting ready I kinda just thought well I did ask god to give me some more help with my confidence in first contacts. With that perspective I realized that I am being watched over and that God does answer prayers sometimes sooner than we think lol.

Saturday we had five lessons with people, only three of them went through but still crazy how much we were doing. We taught a guy who's been struggling a lot lately about the atonement and it was super cool, then we taught a lady about the premortal life and the fall and we have no idea if she was even paying attention but idk I thought it went well. Then after that lesson we went to meet a new family who just moved in, they texted us earlier this day and asked if we could come help them move but we were so busy so we quickly texted our elders quorum president and our ward came in clutch!!! There were a lot of people who showed up to help so we are super grateful our ward is lit as heck!!

Sunday was pretty fun, it was obviously church but we had three friends show up which was awesome. One of them even stayed for the second hour which was amazing!!! But then after church we had another family moving in but this wasn't a member, they were a referral and they called asking if we could help them because they hears that the missionaries in the LDS church could come help always. So we also let our ward know and we got one family to show up and help us, it was honestly super fun and we git to talk with this family and they are super cool, they both have Book Of Mormons and they are reading them so we are definitely gonna work with them soon! After that we went out and knocked more doors, we didn't have much success but again talked with a couple cool people. It's always nice to talk to people that treat us like normal human beings especially after getting the door slammed in your face nine times out of ten.

Today is awesome. We woke up and kinda just relaxed until 8, then we went out Mountain biking again and we hit some nasty jumps and some sick trails, definitely gonna have to do it again soon. But then we got Grandpa Norman taking us out to lunch today which will be so fun, then we gonna go hang out with the elders in our district, prolly gonna stop by the store to grab some Dr Pepper, then we got two lessons with a couple new people we found this last week which will be so much fun and definitely a great way to start out the week of Christmas!!!!!

Hope yall are doing well!!! Been praying constantly for all yall, I appreciate all the prayers coming my way!! It means a ton to me to know I got like an army of the bestest friends and family back home!!! Yall are dope!!! Enjoy your Christmas week!! Look for ways to light the world because nothing can compare to the light you shine especially when your around others.

This is my last week training so we will find out transfer news next week!!! I also might write and email on Christmas if I have time idk I might not, christmas is gonna be lit!!!!!!!!!! 🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎅🎅🎅🎅🧑‍🎄🧑‍🎄🧑‍🎄🧑‍🎄🌲🌲🌲🌲🎁🎁🎁🎁🤶🤶🤶🤶🔥🔥🔥🔥🤘🤘🤘🤘💪💪💪💪😎😎😎😎🦧🦧🦧🦧🕺🕺🕺🤯🎄

-Elder Milius