Friday, December 19, 2014

MOVING ON! (Not to Taiwan, but getting closer

What a fun surprise to look at my email and see an unexpected e-mail from my sweet missionary!
So this time it is for REAL! Here is the e-mail I got from Elder Chase Joseph Millett last night: 
"Today, we received our reassignments and are leaving on Saturday. Me, Elder Quist, and a couple of other guys from our zone are going to.........The Washington, Federal Way Mission!!!
We will probably only be spending a couple of weeks there, until we get the visas, but we are leaving on Saturday.Off to Washington I go!!!!!
We are thrilled that he is moving forward. After 9 weeks in the MTC he is one flight closer to Taichung Taiwan. AND we get to talk to him at the airport tomorrow morning! This is one excited mom!!!

Tuesday, December 16, 2014

"Come Thou Font of Every Blessing"

"So, I want to share something with you. I heard this song for the first time here at the MTC, and I found out how much significance it has. This song has become my companion when I feel down. I heard a quote once that in every soul there is a song. I believe that this is my song. I will send you the link and before I get off I would like you to listen to it, even show your class if that's allowed. I believe it shares my testimony. I want to share it with you and with the world.


I believe that I have and this song embodies the burning testimony I have of this work and of the truth and power of the word of God. I have witnessed the many miracles it can work in my life. And I too, can never repay the debt that our Savior paid for us. So, I too must live and Seal My Heart for the Lord above."

P-day #9- I still have no idea what's going on!

Well, friends, family, and all those in between. Where do I start this week. I guess I better just get the hard part off of my chest first. 

We are not going to Taiwan on Tuesday.......

We were called to the travel office and they told us that we would not be receiving our visas on time. They cancelled our travel plans and told us to sit tight. They told us that they are not going to reassign us yet because they feel that we could probably get our visas before Christmas, but to us that simply means that they have no idea what's going on. It could be this week, it could be two weeks from now. All I know is that my MTC stay is going to be a little bit longer than I'd originally thought. 

And while this has me a little bit down, I do find solace in the fact that things are supposed to happen in the Lord's time, not my own. If the Lord doesn't want us in Taiwan right now, then the time isn't now. So, we consider this at least a little bit of a blessing in that we have a bit more time to learn Chinese we would not originally have had time for. We have time to prepare, both physically and spiritually before we depart. So, it's not all bad. I guess I'm just itching to get out into the field.

But, I think the hardest thing right now is the fact that this week, we will be saying goodbye to both Elder Chan and Elder Marcelo, since they are going to California. In fact, tomorrow morning at like 3:30 in the morning, we will be sending Elder Chan off. Today is his last day at the MTC. He has to get a bunch of stuff done, packing and other things. And then we will send Elder Marcelo off Wednesday at like the same time. It will be just me and Elder Quist in our residence. It will definitely be very quiet... But we are very excited to see them getting to get out and start preaching this wonderful gospel to the people of California.

I love them both and wish them the best of luck.

As for the rest of this week, not much more has happened. We got the Christmas Eve/Day Schedule for the MTC. It sounds wonderful, but I do hope to be out in the field before then. I guess it all depends on the Lord's will.

Anyways, I love you all and wish you all the best in your lives. Good luck and may the Lord bless your life as he has blessed mine.

Sincerely, Son, Brother, and Eternal Friend

Elder Chase Millett
雷長老

Pday #8 :It's going to be a very Asian Christmas!

We did not expected this week to come with reassignment details: Here is the e-mail I received:
"Hey Mom, I only have a few minutes but I will be on again a little bit later. But we got our travel plans..........I fly out of Salt Lake International next Tuesday morning to........................................................................Seattle!!!!!!!!!!!
Anyways, I'll talk to you a little bit later!!!"
I preceded to call, text, and e-mail everyone! Then: about an hour later:
"Oops!! I actually forgot to tell you something..... We have our travel plans.
And after we land in Seattle, we fly to Tokyo.
And from Tokyo to TAIWAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We got our travel plans last Thursday. And someone told us that they wouldn't buy our tickets unless they knew that we were going to get our visas. So, it is VERY VERY VERY likely that we will be going straight to Taiwan. Someone else told us that no one who's gotten travel plans to Taiwan has had to be reassigned or stayed. If you have travel plans, you're probably going.
So we are pretty excited.
WE GOT OUR TRAVEL PLANS ON THURSDAY!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes, that is right!! We leave next Tuesday morning at like 3:35 in the morning to go to the airport. We then fly to Seattle at like 8:30 that morning. And from Seattle, we fly to Tokyo. (Yes Amber, be jelly)..... And from Tokyo, we fly to Taipei and take a 2 hour bus ride down to the mission home in Taichung. With layovers and other things, it's over 24 hours of traveling! GOOD GRIEF!!! But it will all be worth it.

BUT, THERE IS ONE THING TO REMEMBER! While this is all fine and dandy, it's still not 100% guaranteed at this point. They told us that it is VERY VERY VERY likely that we will be going to Taiwan on time. But there is still a slim slim chance that something could change. But someone told us that anyone who's received travel plans for Taiwan has not had to be reassigned or delayed, so that gives us some relief. So yeah.....pretty much the highlight of my week.

But among other things, everything else is still progressing well. We are trying to cram in as much language study as we can this last week in hopes of being able to know at least enough to get us by when we get there. Our district is like a family here. We all love and support one another. We are still teaching our 2 investigators, Han Di Xiong (Brother Han) and Chen Jie Mei (Sister Chen). Every Monday we are doing Skype TRC teaching. We get to Skype with members in Taiwan and teach them lessons and stuff. They help us with our Chinese and share their testimonies and stuff, so that has been really cool. 
But yeah, we are doing fantastic and I am loving the language. It's weird to think that this like my last full week here. Time sure does fly. And I'm going to miss this place, but I am so excited to get to the field that I can barely contain it. I guess our prayers have been answered. And our time to help the people of California and Taiwan is almost nigh. "
Elder Chase Joseph Millett
雷長老


Monday, December 1, 2014

Bummer, but it's okay!

So we definitely missed our Elder over the Thanksgiving holiday, and apparently he missed us too.

"This week has been bittersweet, as I'm sure you can guess. Thanksgiving was really good, but really hard at the same time. The "Thanksgiving Lunch" was meh, ok I guess, but still tasted mass-produced. The devotionals we had this week from Elder Oaks and Elder Bednar were amazing. The Bednar one was more like a Q&A than a devotional. He passed out a few hundred cell phones to the congregation and had them text in any questions that they had. He would try to answer as many as he could. It was really cool. The Elder Oaks one was cool too. He talked about remembering that our mission is about the Savior. It was really a privilege to hear from two members of the Twelve in a matter of two days. Let's see, what else happened this week."

So proud of Chase! : " I am the new district leader for our district. I will the district leader for the remainder of our time here, so that's pretty cool."

Chase was set to leave the MTC on December 16 and head to Taiwan..but......
" And just today we received some news. The districts leaving ahead of us are staying an extra week or so in the MTC and then going right to Taiwan. But, it's because their reassignments were cancelled because they thought that they were going to get their visas on time. We received an email from the Taichung mission this morning talking about what would happen when we got there. We were so excited because we thought that we were going to get our visas on time. We went to the travel office to confirm this, and we were told that we were about 99% likely to get reassigned. IT SUCKS!!!! I was so looking forward to getting to Taiwan. If, (more like when), I get reassigned, I will probably be speaking English, and because we will be there for a whole transfer, which is like 6 weeks, I am afraid I will lose some of my Chinese. And not only that, I thought that I was going to be spending Christmas in Taiwan, which would be really cool. But now, when I get reassigned, I'm going to have to spend Christmas in like (Some US State) or some other not-as-interesting place like that. I'm so bummed because I don't want that to happen. But I mean, there's not much I can do at this point. Soo....I don't know."

I wrote back to him and asked him why he was serving, was it because he was going to Taiwan, or  was it to teach the gospel to people everywhere? I told him that even people in (Some US state) deserve to hear  about the gospel and the true church of Jesus Christ.

"you're absolutely right. People need the gospel everywhere and I am glad and willing to bring it to them! I am really looking forward to going wherever I'll end up going"

I know that he is anxious to get to Taiwan, but I am so proud of his positive attitude. He has an amazing district and they are such a support to one another! 7 weeks down! On the upside, I can add a few more fun things to his Christmas package that was supposed to be shipped this afternoon. There are things that I can't send to Taiwan, so now I can send him a few extra things....AND it won't cost me a small fortune to send :) Happy December!

Saturday, November 29, 2014

Thanksgiving

Our first holiday without our Chase. It was hard! I miss him so much. Everything reminded me of him. I will admit that I did cry on several occasions. I wondered what he was eating? What he was doing? Was he happy? Was he sad? Did it feel like Thanksgiving? So many thoughts of my sweet missionary! The next day as I was scanning through my Missionary Mommas site, I saw this wonderful post that just made my day! Wished that I has seen it sooner (may have calmed my heart a bit) but was so thankful to know that my son and so many other missionaries were able to spend their Thanksgiving holiday with amazing people! This holiday I am thankful for so many missionaries out serving in the world. I am thankful that my son is one of them. Our family is receiving blessings daily because of his service and his faithfulness. I am thankful for wonderful church leaders who spend the holiday with my son to uplift him! And I am thankful for moms who post pictures and messages that brighten my day and make me feel a little closer to my missionary! Happy Thanksgiving!

Monday, November 24, 2014

6 weeks !

"Well, the time has come for another P-Day letter to my friends and family back home. I don't think there is too much to talk about this week. But I do have some pretty exciting news.

So, the districts ahead of us got some news that their visas are only going to be delayed a week or so. They are going to stay at the MTC for an extra week before they go. But they are not being reassigned so that means that they will get to go right to Taiwan. Which means, according to quite a few people, that our district is more than likely going to get to go to Taiwan right on schedule. No reassignments or delays!!!!!!! WOOT WOOT! And while I am excited, IT IS NOT GUARANTEED, JUST VERY VERY LIKELY!!!! So yeah. We are all pretty excited about that.
             Ummm...... as for weather, it's typical Provo weather. It snows a few times a week, but not enough to have it stick. But it is fun to see some snow, and it makes the temple look even more beautiful.
          The language. I am having so much fun with it. I can hold at least a halfway decent conversation in Chinese at this point. But I still have a long way to go before I start speaking like a native. But it really is a fun adventure. I've learned more here than in the 4 years I took of high school Chinese. It is incredible. 
The district. The district has become like a second family to me. We all love each other so much and we all have our little quirks that we love about each other. 
We have Momma Kwong. We call her that because if we have any problems with laundry or something that needs sewing, she helps us with it. We have Qiu Bao Bao, (Baby Quist). We call him that just because he is always doing something laughable. Those are only a few of the funny jokes that we have as a district. We love it so much.
I have to thank you guys for the Thanksgiving and Christmas package you guys sent me. It is so fun. I love the little tree and the lights, and all of the little notes you guys wrote to me. But I especially love the Calendar you put in there. That was a special thought. I know that as we approach the holiday season, we need to remember to "Keep the Christ in CHRISTmas." Thank you so much for all that you guys do and I hope to talk to you soon.
LOVE YA,
Elder Thunder Millett
Chase"

Wednesday, November 19, 2014

Surprise

What a blessing to have 21 missionaries arrive in Taiwan this week (no, not Chase yet) but these missionaries have been waiting quite a while for Visas that finally came through. As I was reading through Sister Blickenstaff's blog, who is the Mission President's wife,  I was surprised to see a picture of my missionary! Sister Blickenstaff's mother just entered the MTC at age 84, and will be serving in Taiwan. There are 3 generations serving at the same time....Mom, Sister Blickenstaff, and the Blickenstaff's daughter in Korea. Cool that Chase was able to take a picture with Sister Blickenstaff's mother.

Three Generations of Sister Missionaries Serving Concurrently: My Mother Has Entered The Mission Field!

At age 84, my mother was called to serve in the Taichung Taiwan Mission!!!

On November 10, Sister Madeline Jin Chao (far right), entered the mission field as a Senior missionary. She was the first one in my immediate family to accept baptism thirty eight years ago, in 1976. Our entire family was sealed in the Los Angeles temple in 1978, leading the way for all of her four children and three of her grandchildren thus far (soon to be four) to establish their own eternal families:) Sister Chao has had two sons, one daughter, two grandsons, and two granddaughters serve full-time missions.

What a legacy she has established for the Chao family!
 

Monday, November 17, 2014

All is Well- and that's what counts

It appears that Elder Millett is settling into life at the MTC. His letter this week was fairly short, to the point, and answered the questions that I had for him. BUT, I did get a few pictures this week..yay for pictures!
Excerpts from his letter:
So another P-day has come and we are past the halfway point of our MTC stay. WOOHOO!!
I love the MTC, well, at least for the most part. The schedule is very rigorous and at times kind of stressful. But that's to be expected.
 How am I? I'm good. Still keepin on keepin on I guess. I just keep getting more and more used to the schedule. 
How is everything? Everything is pretty good.
Weird that I am halfway? Dui. (That means correct)
Weather? It snowed three times this week. It was fun because Elder.... has never seen snow until now. He got a kick out of it. And we get a kick out of him. I am staying warm. It is pretty chilly, but the snow only stays for a few hours or so and then it's gone. But it's been fun to see some.
Visas? Nothing yet.
Language? It's coming quicker now. It seems like we were climbing, then we hit a plateau. Now we are climbing again. It just kinda happens that way.
Things are going well here. I am loving the time that I spend here. The teachers are helpful and they are like our best friends.
I love you guys and I will talk to you soon,
Elder "Thunder" Millett








Monday, November 10, 2014

P-day #4

It does a mom good to hear from her missionary on Monday, especially when he has had a rough week the week before.  It was great to hear that he had such a great week this week! He was able to work through some challenges, and I am so proud of him. Miss that boy like crazy, love him even more, but couldn't be more proud! He definitely sounds like a missionary! He has 4 1/2 more weeks in the MTC, but he so wants to be in Taiwan now, other than the language part of it.

"I just wanted to write and let you know that this week has been a lot better than the last one. I have definitely been blessed with confidence and the spirit is strong with me now. I know why I'm here and I know that I am meant to be here."
"yes, your packages are still very cheesy. I'm starting to think that you find every single cheesy mission-mom website where you can send your missionary candy and other sugary treats that you can. But as I said in previous letters, it's so you.... I want you to know that I am doing very well. My brothers and sisters in my district are such a wonderful support group to me. I love them very much. They have become some of my best friends. "
"I had some revelation that I feel helped turn my emotions for the better. I know why I'm here and I know that I am supposed to be here.  I know now that I CAN DO THIS!!!"
"So. Every e-mail I have been sending I've ended by saying what I thought was my Chinese name, Mi Zhang Lao. It turns out that I have been saying it wrong. My name is actually Lei Zhang Lao. Do you know what the meaning is?
In Chinese, Lei means thunder.
. I know that my mission on this earth is to continue to be vocal about the truth of the restored gospel. I am preparing now to fight on the front lines and to help bring souls unto salvation. I will be a booming voice of the Lord and allow his message to echo across eons of time. And that is why I'm here.

We all have a mission in life. THIS IS MINE!!!! I will serve in faith and from now on, whatever is thrown my way, I will never look back and I will never give up. My time is now and my mission has begun.


I love all of you and know that I am very proud of all of you. I am filled with spiritual vigor whenever I think about you. I hope to hear from you soon and know that we are on the Lord's side, and we can't lose.

Your Son, Brother, and Eternal Friend,

Elder Chase Joseph Millett (Lei Zhang Lao)

Monday, October 27, 2014

Week 2..and our first pictures!







Excerpt from Elder Millett's e-mail:
So.....Where do I begin this week. It has been a great week. I have really settled into the scheme of things now. I'm not near as nervous or panicky as I was last Monday. The Spirit has really been here to comfort me, as well as my companions.  The learning of mandarin has been a fun experience. We were very surprised earlier this week. So, our first investigator whom we had been teaching turned out to be our second teacher. She was quietly evaluating how we were teaching and gave us some helpful tips about what we can do to be better. She walked into the classroom and we were all like, OH MY GOSH!!!!!. THAT'S SO AWESOME!!! So, anyway. that was fun. We got to hear from the director of missionary work or something like that last night. He is the guy who helped oversee the writing of preach my gospel and he heads the missionary labor in the church. His talk about repentance and allowing ourselves to come unto Christ really helped . Ummmmm.... Yeah. So in our gym time, which is like 7:30 in the morning, we discovered a new game that you guys HAVE TO GET BACK HOME. IT IS SO MUCH FUN. It's called SPIKEBALL. Look it up online and order it immediately. 

So that pretty much sums up my week for now. Class continues, Spiritual growth continues. All of that jazz. And my spirits are high!!!!!

So, I want to share with you my missionary purpose, but in mandarin. it will be in english letters but you can use your imagination......

Yao qing, ta ren, gui xiang ji du jie zhe xie zhu, ta men pei yang dui ye su ji du ji qi shu zui de xin xing, hui gui, xi li, jie shou, Sheng Ling en ci he, chi shou dao di lai, bang zhu ta men jie shou fu xing de fu yin........

I know it probably sounds like gibberish but that is mandarin. (Well lacking the tones anyways)