PEANUT CAPITOL OF THE WORLD - 27 February 2023

So this week was busy! And I mean it was packed with a bunch of things that I will be writing about today! So I'm gonna cut the intro and get right into my week!

Tuesday! We didn't get to do a whole lot of missionary work today because Tuesdays are farm days. So we went to the farm and had a blast obviously! Then we had to head home and of course there was a bunch of traffic because as soon as we got home we had to shower and get ready so we can head to interviews with president! So we got dressed all fancy and cute and headed to interviews, uh of course not only was traffic bad on the way home from the farm but it was also bad on the way to interviews! Let's just say I was saying lots of prayers that it would clear up so we didn't keep president waiting too long. And we made it just 3 minutes late, I am a pro at prayers and I'm also super humble about it too like the most humble! Just kidding but I was definitely happy we got there that quick! So interviews was great! I love my mission president, every time we talk I feel ready to bear one more day, one more week, one more transfer even when I'm stressed out of my mind. I've just lately been stressed because I have to be such a big leader in my companionship I lowkey can't wait to be in a new area with a new comp who knows more than me lol. But interviews were great and we headed home to do some weekly planning and finish out the night.

Wednesday was like our only normal day of the week so we just piled lessons on that day, we had like five lessons! I mean only two went through but still! Wednesday was fun because when we get just one lesson that goes through and is a great lesson, it makes up for all the missed lessons we had. That was pretty much the highlight of that day and we just talked to a lot of people on the phone as well. 

Thursday!!! Aka exchange with the ZLs!!! I live for exchanges! They are like my favorite thing to do as a missionary! Especially since I got to go with the ELDER MATTHEW'S!! Let's just say he's been there with me my entire mission. I'm serious, he came into the area when I got here and has always been my ZL since! We had a fantastic exchange! Like literally one of the best exchanges I've been on. We defined the phrase talk to anybody and everybody! We went out to downtown Suffolk which has become my favorite place in the Chesapeake zone! It was in a sketchy area but those are my favorite areas because everybody wants to talk to you. It was also the nicest day outside so everyone and I mean everyone was outside taking in the amazing weather for February! We talked to literally every person we could find, we gave away like 5 book of Mormons and got like 10 different numbers! It was insane! Plus to add to that we had awesome lessons with some other people and it honestly was the most effective fun hardworking day I've ever had! We literally parked our car and just walked around for like 4 hours talking to people. We then got to go to a lesson near main street in Suffolk which is like a beautiful place, it reminds me of downtown Gilbert with like lights hanging across the streets and trees lit up! After the lesson we had down there I found out that Suffolk is the peanut capital of the world, I think, something like that. But they had a statue of Mr Peanut and of course we had to get pictures. After that we went home to report our entire day and it took like an hour to report everything it was crazy.

Friday we got to go to the farm as always and with the ZLs which is a blast! Miss Judy got some baby chick's on wednesday so we got to go see all those and they were so adorable! We got like a ton of pictures and I also caught a rooster, and kissed a horse statue! Then that evening I wanted go make it like the exchange and so we went to visit this one person who wasn't there so we decided to knock around and I literally just grabbed all my stuff and started walking in a direction not knowing where I was going or what I was doing! Then I just looked at a building with a sick stair case and thought this one will be cool! Guess what!! The last door in the apartment building the guy answered and let us in! We got to pray with him and shared almost all of the restoration, got his number and set up a time to come back! It was such a cool miracle! Our DL invited us to read 1 Nephi 4: 5-6 which is basically the scripture that says and "I was led by the Spirit not knowing before hand the things which I must do" So literally that's what I did, I just started walking and bam! New person! 

Saturday was a rainy day literally, it was pouring pretty much all day so we planned to go knocking but we decided to go visit some people instead and we ended up talking to a guy we have been teaching and actually got the chance to teach him the entire restoration finally! So that was a miracle in its self cause this guy just loves to talk! And he could talk and talk for hours on end! But it was awesome needless to say. Then we finished out the night with some great contacts with some members and some people we are teaching. 

Sunday was stressful as always but awesome. We only had one person come to Sacrament meeting which was kinda a bummer but after church we got to go to dinner with the dudleys and another member joined in as well and it was so much fun! I love going over to the dudleys and having amazing dinners and having so much fun. That might be my last time I go there unless I stay in this area another transfer which if I do, yay for another dudley dinner but i won't be the happiest, I just need a new area, a new comp, a new set of people to teach, a new set of members, and just a new environment. But I keep pressing forward praying to know the reason why I'm here. But after that we finished out the night basically.

Today!! We had district Pday today and it was a party!!! We got to go over to a member in the great bridge ward and we played pickle ball, played basketball, ate Chick-fil-A, played taco cat Goat cheese pizza, played more basketball and ping pong! It was a blast! Probably one of my favorite pdays not gonna lie! That was the hype of the week to end it out. 

This week was way better than the last one, I've heard people always say that there are good weeks and there are bad weeks. Let's just say I'm nervous for this next week cause literally this past week was the hypest and nothing can beat how much fun I had and all the awesome things I did. We are about halfway through the transfer and only got about three more pdays till I hopefully pack up and head off to greener pastors! I love every single one of yall! Miss yall tons but im so happy im serving the lord everyday without a worry in the world besides almost the people we are teaching lol. Also this week was loaded with pictures so be prepared!! Catch yall in the next one!!!

-Elder Milius 

Chesapeake Bay

More Chesapeake Bay

Exchange!

Downtown Suffolk

Mr. Peanut!

Elder Matthews and Me

More Elder Matthews and Me

Baby Chick

District Pday!

PRAYING WITH KIDS - 20 February 2023

Well this week was a little better, things have smoothed out a little more with the new comp, he still is adjusting to the area so I've had to bear with that still, he's a great missionary just hasn't been in 2 different areas before so it's his first time trying to adjust but we still move forward!

Tuesday was very interesting, of course, we went to the farm which was a party as always! Never can complain when you have a day at the farm!! After that we came home, got ready and headed out to go knock some doors. While we were knocking this one area there were some kids that were walking by listening to us, they asked if we were jehovah witnesses and we politely told them no and tried to go about knocking, then they came up to us and asked if we could pray with them. I didn't really know what to do, I mean I can't just say no but at the same time I just wanted them to leave so I said sure I'll pray. I said the quickest prayer and blessed that they would have a good day with whatever they were doing, they then asked for a pamphlet and I just said oh I can't give these to yall cause we are almost out. Then they finally left but two more kids showed up and started speaking gibberish to us, the whole situation was just awkward and weird and super uncomfortable so before My comp was able to knock the next door I just said let's go! And we walked away. While we were walking away the kids were still yelling at us and we just didn't look back, I was honestly frustrated at this point and knew that they were just being turds as kids usually are lol. 

Wednesday was hype!! We had a lesson with a new guy we are teaching and the lesson didn't really end up being a lesson, we kinds just sat there while he preached at us and we were there for an hour! I got to the point where I just stood up and said we got to go! But after that we went over and did some service with this lady that loves us, then after that we went over to another guy's house who is a member and also loves the missionaries and we planed some wood with him! It was hype and a great day to relax a little. Definetly made the day way better, cause after that we just went and visited a lot of people in our area. We then came home and had some dinner, then went out to teach one of our really progressing guys, that lesson went OK, it went like usual, he kinda just couldn't remember anything we talked about with him but we are praying he slowly can remember what is going on. 

Thursday was Zone Conference and I've been needing a zone conference for a while lowkey! And this conference was so much fun, I love seeing all the missionaries I know and having a blast learning and growing and all that! Something that really stuck out to me was something president said to us. He told us to have public victories outside and in work and just all through the day we must first have private victories and it all starts at the beginning of our day, if we can have a private victory in the morning like making our beds or saying our morning prayers or having an effective study or whatever we do in the morning, then we can and will have victories aka miracles and blessings out in the day. Also learned that when the temple opens up, elders prolly won't be the ones doing tours, I know, sad, but I guess it has something to do with the fact that sisters are just a little more pretty than us. Hey it was presidents words, not mine lol. But that was some sad news but he did then praise us and say we were the ones that were gonna be able to lead people to the temple and bring those to go to the temple even if we don't get to go. So I guess we are awesome like that. But then we had zone breakouts and git to hang with the zone for a little bit, we also got new temple pass along cards which are fireeee!! Overall it was a fantastic zone conference! It's always really nice to see people I know and hang with more than just my comp lol.

Friday was a crazy miracle filled day! We had the farm in the morning which was a blast as always! Then we came home and had studys and got ready, it was also pouring rain today but we had in our schedule to go knocking, we were hoping it cleared up but it didn't. We then went and visited a couple people instead and got a return appointment with one of them, then we were going to visit someone else but he was outside on the phone when we pulled up so we just went to another street and knocked it cause we didn't know what else to do while we waited for him. A couple houses after knocking we found a person and got his number and all that! It was super awesome, we then went back to visit the guy we intended to visit, as to which we had a great contact with him. He said he's gonna try and read the Book of Mormon more since we stopped by! We then got some pizza and went home, as to which we had a lesson with a lady who I wasn't sure if she was actually interested. But as I was going through the lesson, we were reading about Jesus Christ's baptism, talking about the importance of it all and for some crazy reason I just started putting her on date! I don't know why or how my mind took me there but I asked the question and... SHE SAID YES!!! We put her on date for next month, so we just got to teach her all the information and she will be ready to be baptized! It was so crazy cause I was not planning on doing that and then all the sudden words just started flowing out of my mouth and she accepted the invitation! 

Saturday and Sunday were the basic days this week lol. Saturday we spent the day visiting a lot of people we talked with in the past and had some good contacts with some of them, we then came home and had dinner and finished out the night calling people and inviting people to church. Sunday we obviously had church and I'm not gonna lie I kinda blanked out during Sacrament meeting but we were able to get a few of our friends to church which was great!! Then we spent the afternoon visiting more people and actually had lunch at like 4pm then went out for another hour and had dinner at 6pm it was kinds funny but let's just say I just made my dinner at 4 and didn't eat anything at 6 lol. We then finished off the night with calls.

Today, aka Monday, we went to the store and then hung out with the elders in out district, we went fishing and we went to smash burger, don't ask me how I had money for that, I don't even know the answer to that question. But then we went and played some pool and I killed my comp, went 4-4 lol, poor comp. But now we bout to make some more calls and get ready for the week. 

I'm super excited for this next week which is good because I lowkey can't wait for this transfer to end cause I really want to leave this area after and I'm praying I do so I get to see some change of scenery here in the mighty Virginia Richmond Mission. Anyway I love and miss all yall and I can't wait to talk to yall next week!!! 

-Elder Milius

Zone Breakout

The GOAT District

Elder Stacey

Flowers for Valentine’s Day, those are for you Mom!

Big Fish

3RD COMP, SAME AREA - 13 February 2023

Well it's my 4th transfer out on the mission so I will be hitting 6 months very soon, no I'm not counting I'm just checking every once in a while. 

This week has been an emotional Rollercoaster if I've ever seen one, I've some highs and some low points this week. I had to say goodbye to my previous comp and said hello to my new comp!

Tuesday was Elder Naylor's last normal day as a missionary so we spent most of it packing and calling a couple people, nothing too crazy happened because that's mainly all we did. I did get a machete from a lady because I wanted on to cut chicken with it LOL. 

Wednesday was transfer day and it honestly was a fine day leading up to when we showed up to transfers. After we parked we talked with some people and then took Naylor’s stuff to the transfer trailer to prepare himself to go home and I'm not gonna lie it was pretty hard to be hanging out with him cause once we got there it felt like I was done, honestly it felt like I finished something grand and something big was gonna happen but that was not the case, I met my new comp, Elder Olson, and we grabbed his stuff, I said goodbye to a couple elders that were going home, then I had to go back to my area like nothing changed and it was super hard. Especially since I was pretty close with one of the elders that left and me and Naylor got along really well so it was like saying goodbye to my best friends again which absolutely killed me inside. I spent a couple nights just sitting in the bathroom basically depressed and it felt like I had been out for a lot longer than I really was. Needless to say I spent the past few days just mellowing over the fact that my friends were home and I wasn't. But I pushed through the day and now I'm trying to adjust back into the mission life

Thursday was my first full day with elder olson and we basically spent it teaching him about the area and about the people that we are teaching. We were weekly planning and all that, we then had some service at a lady's house, it was good to talk with her as well cause It made me a little more excited about the work, then we spent the rest of the day knocking doors, still felt pretty depressed but I was slowly getting better since we actually did some work, I'm still trying to get excited about stuff and the more I focus on the area and the people I feel a little better. 

Friday was cool, we had district council today so we got to see our new district which our district is super fun! We then got to go knocking more doors and we had an awesome miracle! Some lady answered and we prayed with her and shared basically a 10 minute book of mormon lesson with her and she said she's had a book of Mormon before but didn't really read it and lost it but that this was a sign to her that she should read it now! We are gonna call her this week so it's gonna be super fun and exciting! Today was the day I saw the post for the departing missionaries and then again it made me super depressed cause I was like dang, my friends aren't doing what I'm doing and they are changing their lives while I'm still super far away from that point in my life. But still adjusting back into the mindset that this is fun and I am here doing the work.

Saturday and Sunday were pretty basic, Saturdays are the best for knocking so we spent the day doing some lessons and some service and some knocking. Sunday we went to church and it was great to see people that day and actually talk with people in the ward so it made my depression go away a little lol. I unfortunately was kinda sick Sunday, I wrapped myself up in a jacket and like 3 blankets, I had a terrible headache and I just could not focus, I think I had a cold or some sort of stomach bug because I genuinely just died on the couch, it was really funny cause I had all my church clothes on and I was just so weak, so cold and so tired that I just went to bed wrapped up in 3 blankets and while wearing pros clothes, but then i woke up at like 1:00 am drenched in sweat so I stripped down to my underwear and spent the next hour trying to fall asleep again. But I woke up Monday feeling a lot better so that was very nice.

Well this week has been a hard one for sure, I'm still trying to change my mind set and hopefully get back to the grind of things. This is my fourth transfer here in this area so I'm hoping I leave after this transfer cause I need some change in my life right now. But hopefully this next week goes by better, and I'll talk to yall in the next one.

-Elder Milius

PS I say I'm depressed but I'm just trunky, I'm missing some people right now and I just got to adjust my mind back into the grind. I'm doing OK and I'm going to push through but hopefully I can adjust to my new comp nicely and get my mind focused on the people of Chesapeake 

Sick fit goes hard

I cut my own hair

Me and Elder Seely

Me and Elder Naylor

New District!

Elder Burt and Me!

 

IF YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT, CALL ME BEEF! - 6 February 2023

Sup gang! This week has been a fire one for sure! Did a bunch of stuff! Can't believe this transfer is literally over! It's crazy that I've been out for 3 transfers which equals just about 5 months on a mission. Gosh I hate that! I do not like counting down the days cause one this is like the best experience I'm gonna have in my entire life so I don't want it to end but at the same time my district is trunky out of their minds so I'm like superrrrrrr trunky and I definetly miss the west! 

But to go on with my week! 

Tuesday! We had service on Judy's farm and I just love hanging out at the farm, that place is the place to be on a Tuesday haha! But after that we had the chance to go out knocking and it was like the first time in a while that we found some success in knocking, we talked to this one guy about families and how important they are to God and how as we make them one of the most important things in life we will be blessed and he loved that! We also gave him a Book of Mormon and got his number!! It was a fire contact! 

Wednesday was another great day! We had a whole day open but we were able to go to a lesson with this one guy! Oh my goodness it was booty cold this day! We had the lesson outside cause there were people inside. Me and Elder Naylor were just freezing our socks off, shivering to death! And I don't shiver that easy so when I do shiver ya know it's cold!! After that we were gonna go knocking but it was just too cold so we went around and drove to some people we were teaching in the past to get in contact with them. Nothing too crazy happened from that, nobody really answered which was kinda crappy but oh well. We then got to go to a member dinner for like the first time the entire transfer which was really nice. Had a great time with them and shared an awesome message about the temple! Also if you haven't gone to the temple in a while...GO! I miss the temple so much and there is so much beauty, peace, and clarity that come from visiting the temple!!

Thursday we had lunch with Sister Neer at a seafood place, that was pretty bussin!! Then after that we had our last district council of the transfer! My comp and the other elder in our district were just trunked out of their minds ready to go home! But it was a good meeting, then we had to lug through weekly planning, then had dinner and then went to a lesson with a guy we had on date. This lesson was good but frustrating, this is the guy who's brain is a little slower and we brought him a notebook to write things down as we taught them to him. We went through the whole restoration again and he was writing a lot of things down! It was great! Hopefully this tactic will work and we can get him to remember things more. But I still don't know what to do with him, our president told me to just pray for the spirit of discernment and pray for revelation so he can understand this gospel because this gospel is for everyone and I know it's for him but at the same time I ask myself sometimes if I'm wasting my time. As of now I'm just gonna keep sticking it through with him and pray that he receives the knowledge he needs. 

Friday was an awesome day! We got to go to the farm in the morning with our Zone Leaders! This is where the beef comes in to play. Obviously she has a lot of cattle on her farm so there's that, then they made us burgers for lunch so we ate some delicious burgers but while we were eating this one young cow came up to us trying to eat the burgers but the guy basically tried to kiss me, don't worry I got a picture and it is honestly my favorite picture out of my entire mission! But then after that we went home and had another great day of finding! We went visiting some more people. We went to the hood part of our area which is honestly my favorite area lol, it's just fun to be there and people are a heck a lot nicer over there especially when they know you are talking about Jesus! 

Saturday we got transfer news!!! Obviously my comp is going home but I'm getting a new comp who is younger than me in the mission! He's only been out for 2 and I've been out for 3 so in super excited to work with him and help him in any way I can and hopefully learn from him as well. We are both just fresh missionaries going to take on the area of Mount pleasant! So I'm super excited for this next transfer! But after that we just again had a full day of finding!! It was pretty friggen cold this day as well!! It was nuts! Like cold humidity is terrible!! This is why I miss the west lol. But we just visited even more people in our area, just kinda filled out day talking to people we've talked to in the past. It was funny though we went to visit this one guy and we knocked on his door but his dog wasn't barking so we were a lil confused. We then thought he was taking his dog out on a walk so we drove around the entire neighborhood looking for this guy trying to get in contact with him! Unfortunately we didn't find him which was sad because it would have been epic to just pull up to him and be like YO! ITS THE MISSIONARIES!!! but after that we came home and I didn't know what I wanted for dinner, I had some ground beef though so I decided to fry up some delicious burgers!! They were greasy as but delicious as heck! After that we just finished out the night with calls

Sunday was fast Sunday and it was a long hungry Sunday! We went to church and then came home but we had to go out and visit even more people! We were really hungry so we finally came home and made some dinner! Made some fire chicken quesadillas! The we finished out the night with calls

Today aka Monday! This is my comps last Pday!! So we made sure to make it a good one and oh boy was it a good one! We went to the store and then came back to grab some of his old clothes to donate, then we actually went into the Thrift store and I popped some fire clothes, I got a sick lake shirt and a sick flannel and a sick sweater! Then we came back and played some pool then went fishing with the elders in our district and then lol we went to Texas roadhouse of course! Stuff was fireeeeee and the stinking elder in my district convinced me to buy a 30 dollar porterhouse steak! Which is you don't know it's both the filet and the new York strip, both amazing steaks! That thing was 23 ounces!!! But it was the greatest steak I've ever eaten!!!  I don't think I can go back to the sirloin or even just the filet or the new Yorker alone! But as we went to pay I tried putting it on my MSF cause I didn't want my parents knowing I ordered a 30 dollar steak, turns out my card declined, super dumb!!! So I had to use my parents card and I immediately texted them and said "hey don't be mad but can you transfer like 37 bucks into yalls account but don't check what I bought!" They checked of course! So it was funny and I was embarrassed but I don't friggen care I just ate a 23 ounce steak cooked to perfection!!! 10 out of 10 would recommend! 

Anyways that's my long week update!! I love all yall, I guess before I end off my email I've really been growing my testimony of the Book of Mormon lately! Like I know a lot of people who grow their testimonies of the atonement and of christ and other things but im so grateful for the wonderful opportunity I have to serve in Richmond Virginia cause no other place would I have been able to see how powerful the Book of Mormon is! It's crazy to see how much of a blessing it is to have the Book of Mormon! I know that it is true and I know the reason Joseph smith laid down his life for it was because he knew it too!! And so did so many saints in the beginning of the restored church. I know I am out on a mission because of that truth and I am so fixated on that truth that no power can change my mind! 3 Nephi is a perfect place to come to know our savior as is the entire book but if your feeling down or you need some guidance or need anything, turn to the Book of Mormon and read 3 Nephi and come to know the savior in the Book of mormon, christs love will be more powerful than anything from putting in that effort to read! I love that book so much and I hope those around me can see that!!! Anyways I love all yall! Everyone who's sacrificed their time and effort for me I just can't thank you guys enough!!

Hope yall have a great week! Looking forward to the next!

Me and Cha-Ching

More of the cow

Comp Unity

More Comp Unity

President Hutchinson with the Zone

I have really long hair…I need to cut it badly