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Hi, mother dearest,

It was good to hear from you this week! It looks and sounds like you had a blast with the kiddos!!  Thank you for sharing those fun details with me about what you did with them.  Cute little Brady!  I am excited to play with him one day.

Yay!  We got to Skype her for Mother's Day!!

This area is teaching me a lot!  Well, the Lord is teaching me a lot.  I am really learning to do work more effectively.  Of course, with some bumps along the way, but I have been putting every effort that I can!  We have been seeing miracles. We have focused ourselves a great deal, on how to be able to recognize the Spirit. The other night we were driving to go see a potential investigator. We just didn't feel right about visiting them, so we stopped to listen to the Spirit, to know where to go. We turned to another street and got out and started walking. We made a few turns. It was 8:50 p.m., and no one was outside. But we walked a little more. We ran into this man who was outside. He was taking in a sign for cars to slow down for children, so we talked to him about his family. Turns out his wife just had a baby. He looked so happy to tell us about his new baby girl. We were able to testify to him about how the Gospel blesses families. The Spirit was strong and he felt something. We set a return appointment for tomorrow. It was a blessing to see that when we involve the Lord in the work, He guides us. 

I have had some silly little worries lately.  Not worries, just thoughts.  Sometimes my mission feels like a dream, like I can't remember anything that has happened this past year!  I sometimes have the thought in the back of my head, that I could have worked harder in certain areas that I've had.  So it's a long story, and hard to explain, haha.  But, we were having dinner with some members last night.  He used to be a Mission President and is so awesome!  As we talked, I mentioned that of all the things I have learned, the most valuable one was how to use, and what the Atonement means to me.  He said if I leave my mission with just that testimony, then I have succeeded.  It was an answer to a simple prayer.  I am filled with JOY to know what I have learned of the Atonement, and have used it.  I have felt so strongly the power of the Atonement in my life lately.  I have tried to use it through fervent prayer and scripture study.  And It has given me an immense amount of strength.  Strength that I wouldn't have had, otherwise.  It's so cool!  Read in the bible dictionary where it speaks of "grace".  Study it, don't just read it.  It will help you understand the Atonement much better.  It is for everyone, not just members of the church.  So it is a great thing to be able to share with others, who are struggling.
I am so happy!  It's all good, and I know that the Lord really is blessing me.  Seriously, like pouring blessings!  Hard work and consecration made it worth it. I know that this is His work adn that this is Christ's church.  Share it!  Follow the counsels of the Prophets and Apostles.  What a blessing it is to have them in our times.  I love you so very much :) Hermana Michelle

Hey daddio!

I had a really good week.  It is amazing how well the Lord will work with one as they try to fully submit themselves to His will.  That is what I have been fighting to do.  IT WAS SOOO HOT!  I have never felt LA so hot!  My goodness.  But we just kept goin!  I'm like the energizer bunny.... I just keep hittin my drums.  We saw ALOT of miracles.  We took a lot of time to focus on the Spirit, to know exactly where we needed to be at certain times, and it was great!  I sometimes wonder if I would have worked this incredibly hard my whole mission, if I could seen a lot more success in the areas I was in.  I've worked my hardest. But hopefully I will be able to use what I am learning, wherever I go next.  Or who knows, maybe I'll finish my mission in this area....

The work I get to do is AMAZING, it is so good!  Between all the 'no's' I'm still just filled with a joy I have never felt.  I never want this to end!  It's all good in the hood (except there aren't any hoods here)  I love you daddy!!

Excerpts from letter home this week:

Dear family,

It was great talking to you yesterday.  It was so surreal, sometimes.  I forget you guys are real and still have your own lives!  It made me realize that my time here isn't exactly as long as I thought it was.  So, it must makes me want to work every harder, not waste a single second.  That, I need to have my whole self here in Torrance, California.  So it was a good thing for me.  This work is so important!  Where would I be if I hadn't gone on a mission?  I would have been pretty lame....

After we skyped, we went to work!  We met this guy and taught the Restoration at his door.  By the end, he said he'd be willing to meet again with us this weekend.  We looked for some potential investigators.  Many had moved so it gave us the opportunity to try and share with them.  Many of them said no, but it helped because we were looking for someone and not just tracting.  We don't knock doors here.  People are usually turned off to it in this area.  President said to usually only do it here, if we feel prompted to do so.  We contacted a referral and I was explaining how we have the Book of Mormon.  I finished, and she just looked at us and stared, shutting her door.  It was really awkward.  Then, she called us about five minutes later, and thanked us for coming over! 

I'm doing amazing.  I'm loving my work and just constantly loving it more and more. It is helping me return to who I was when I was with my Heavenly Father, and then growing stronger.  I have no doubt this is Christ's church.  It is guided by the Prophet.  It tell people almost daily, about Prophets - you live in the midst of one! Never take advantage of such a sacred opportunity!  I know with a surety that through Joseph Smith, the Church was restored and through the Priesthood, the Book of Mormon was translated.  It's all real.  It's beautiful and comforting.  I love my Savior and I KNOW Him! I love my Heavenly Father.  I know He is always there for us.  What a blessing.  Share this with everyone!  Member or nonmember!  Love the Gospel, I do!  I love you with all of my heart!  Hermana Warner

A member took this and sent it to us!