"We will miss you..."

HELLO!  Wow, this week was great.  It was crazy, exhausting, emotional, funny, FUN, full of work, and just JOY.  I am tired.... we wake up at 6:00 a.m. and sometimes I think my eyes are going to fall out.  The area is great.  it covers where I served in Torrance (English ward), but in Spanish.  And it's about 3x the size of Torrance.  So it's a wealthy area, but wonderful.  We have some really special people here.  The ward is great, very warm and friendly.  Our ward mission leader is amazing and full of love.  I didn't get to meet a lot of members, but things are so good.

Michelle ran into her sweet friend, Hannah, (from Utah) at the Los Angeles Temple!

Hermana Warner with Fernando (one of her converts) and his family with a cake they gave her, that says, "we will miss you."

Hna Warner with 92-year old Abulita (one of her converts) and her daugther 

We have the sweetest investigator named Jennifer.  She is a former from about a year ago.  The sisters called her and started teaching her.  Yesterday, we went to the Visitors Center with her.  It was such a sweet, spiritual experience that we had with her.  She said that when she pulled up and got out of the car, she felt tears fill her eyes and that all of it just felt right.  She felt like she was getting ready to do the right thing.  It's amazing to see how the Lord prepares those about us.  We talked about families and temples and were able to walk around the temple with her.  The Spirit was so strong and everything worked so well.  I loved it! The sisters had a baptism last week and he got confirmed yesterday.  The sisters in this area did some amazing work last transfer!
I love our trio!!  Honestly, I wasn't excited about being in a trio but it has been so much fun! We all get along really well.  I am so, SO grateful that I get to be with Sister Wright before I go home.  I love her so much. My other companion is Sister Jarman!  She has been out almost six months and is from Arizona.  I feel really bad for her because she will be sending home TWO missionaries!  I hope she lives through it....

Hermana Warner, Hermana Jarman, and Hermana Wright

My mission.  I have reflected over and over and over again on it.  I can't believe it is so close to returning home.  Literally though, I still feel like I have forever.  I had had to do some kind reminders to myself that I will be going home in two weeks.  And it will be okay.  My mission, like any mission, has been a rollarcoaster.  It has been filled with love and joy.  I only have the best of things to say about my mission.  I have learned where the Gospel of Jesus Crhist must fit in my life.  I have learned that my Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are put above all else.  I have lived that and I have felt it.  It is AMAZING.  I will always, always put THEM first.  I know without a single doubt, that this is the Church that Christ established. I don't think I could say that before, I believed it, and now I know.  It is a love that we will never fully understand.  He rejoices shen we come unto Him.  He feels absolute joy when a sinner comes back to Him and remembers Him. It is beautiful.  We are all loved by Him.  I LOVE this Gospel.  I love you both more than words....
Hermana Warner

She knows her mom likes gnomes!

Dear Dad,

We are great!  We're in a trio and the other sister is Sister Jarman, the sweetest girl ever.  We have all gotten along so well.  I have been having some struggles this week actually - about coming home.  I didn't realize it was as soon as it was :(  I needed to just take a second and realize that I really am going home.  It makes me SO sad, but so happy at the same time.  It's so weird daddy.  I don't want to, but I do.  I have been worrying to know if the Lord is pleased with my efforts.  I fasted for a confirmation from Him... I know I will get it.  Time is going by really fast. How was your talk? I love you....

Release letter from President and Sister Weidman:
Dear Brother and Sister Warner,

On 15 August 2014, Sister Michelle Lynn Warner will be given an honorable release from the California, Los Angeles Mission.

Sister Weidman and I love Sister Warner.  You can be very pleased with the contribution that she has made while serving in the California, Los Angeles Mission. She has blessed the lives of many; including those who have accepted the Gospel of Jesus Christ as a result of her efforts and those she has helped to return to activity within the Lord's kingdom.  Her name will be remembered for generations to come among many.  She has grown in her testimony of the Savior and in her ability to work with people. We also have been deeply touched by her service in the mission, and we trust you were greatly blessed through her labor.

Sister Warner will be part of our lives forever.  Sister Weidman and I are grateful for all she has done to help the Lord hasten the work of salvation.  We feel that she and her colleagues have a rendezvous with destiny.  Our prayer is that she will grow in faith and good works as she continues to serve our Heavenly Father.  Sister Weidman joins me in wishing you and Sister Warner the best. 

Sincerely, 
David N. Weidman, President
Californa, Los Angeles Mission

Last transfer and companions again!!

Hello hello!

A member sent us this picture of Hermana Warner speaking at the Missionary Farewell Devotional!

Jackie, Sister Warner and Joseph at the Devotional

This week was full!  It was great and just a happy week.  Nothing too spectacular happened in the area.  Okay lies....we had some really cool miracles.  So we do this really wonderful thing called weekly planning -  I believe I have told you about it before.  If there is one thing that I might not miss about my mission, it would be weekly planning.  But we set goals for the week, this last week we were talking about our new investigator goals.  We decided to set our goal much higher than we have the last couple weeks and ended up getting 11 NEW investigators!!!  We were able to find families and saw so many miracles with it.  It really showed me that the higher we raise our goals, the harder we work, and the more Heavenly Father will bless us. It is a pretty cool cycle!!  I feel so blessed to be here.  I have been thinking about that a lot lately.

We went to the temple this week with Pres and Sister Weidman.  I love the temple so much, it brings so much revelation. It was a super special session.  I went with a few questions and really feel like I got the answers.  I had a really special talk with Sister Landon in the Celestial Room, it answered alot of my prayers. The temple is so special, I hope that as members we don't take worshipping at the temple for granted.  It's so sacred.

We had the departing missionary fireside last night!  It was SO awesome!  It was an incredible feeling to see so many of the people that I worked with. I felt so incredibly humble last night.  I felt that, because my Father in Heavenly has allowed me to be here.  He has made me an instrument in His hands to me to help these people.  Abuelita was there too :)!!!!  I was super happy about that.  Jackie and Joe were there and brought the flowers.  I got to see amazing people.  (Sis Landon is coming back here the 30th of August and I may come with her...)  I have reflected so much on my mission lately, I will share more next week, when I have more time....

I don't have time left, so I will tell you about transfers.  Oh, and we got your package and sister Diaz was sooo grateful!! As was I, thank you so much!  But tranfsers...hold on to your seat... no seriously, you will be in shock when you hear this.  Next transfer, I will be going to a ward called Harbor 3rd with SISTER WRIGHT and another sister named Sister Jarmin!!!  I texted President to make sure it was true!! It will be so good and we will see miracles!!

Okay I love you so much have a good week!  I'm still expecting your experiences...! I am feeling awkward, but giving it ALL I HAVE the next few weeks!  I love you soooo much! P.S. I brought my cord but it isn't working!

Love, Sister Warner

God now Accepteth thy Works....

Hello!
Mom, you might kill me but I forgot my planner.  I honestly can say that I can barely remember what happened this week, it was crazy.
Here is one - Refugio (her name means refuge in English) came to church yesterday!!!!  It was so great.  Also I spoke in church yesterday.  I had my talk written in my study journal.  We were getting ready to start the sacrament and I realized that I had left my journal.... I went into panic mode for a second and then got over it and remembered that the Spirit will be able to testify through me if I rely on him.  The talk ended up being really good and it was probably better than it would have been. 

"Remember the miracle about Silvia? (the one with nine children?!)  Yep, that is her husband that got baptized yesterday!  Their son got baptized a few months ago, and he baptized him!" JOY!

I have been thinking a lot this week.  I've been writing a few goals, and I've put them into action.  I want to put everything into these last few weeks.  Everything I have!  So I have been working on that.  I have felt really excited when we go out.  Dad sent me a really good scripture today that I really needed:

"Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God now accepteth thy works." (Ecclesiastes 9:7)

I want to feel that in the end.  The end still looks so far away.  Something I like that you mentioned was about obedience.  You put it in the context of missionary work.  Well, I think that sometimes we forget as members that we need to be obedient, as well.  I remember saying before my mission how I wanted to be exactly obedient.  In our lives, I think we forget that the little things are commandments.  Reading the scriptures daily is a commandment, praying is a commandment, going to church, going to the temple, family home evening, etc.  The things that the Prophets give us are commandments.  Just because family home evening isn't in the scriptures doesn't mean that we don't have to do it!  So I guess that is my invitation.  Take a step back in your lives right now and look.  Are you really being exactly obedient to the Lord's commandments?  We are obedient to the big ones but are we sometimes exactly obedient to the little ones?!  It's worth it and we'll feel a difference. 

Sorry, I don't have time left!  But I love you and I love this work SO much.  Keep praying for me and the investigators here.  I love you!

Love, Sister Warner

Hermana Diaz and Hermana Warner

Dear Dad, Where is that scripture, I LOVE it!  I have that worry often.  I worry that I haven't worked hard enough or done enough. I'm trying so hard. I hope that in my last week those worries all go away.  The weeks are going fast, but it doesn't feel real.  It doesn't feel like I am really going to see you in a short month.  I am excited, scared as can be, very sad, joyful, anxious, and tired.  That is about it.  I love you and think you are absolutely wonderful daddy.  Seriously, wonderful.  You bring joy to my heart and I am grateful for you.  I love you more than words.

Hermana Johnson and Hermana Warner

Little Miracles......

Hello my beautiful momma!

Hermana Warner and Hermana Diaz with their new feathered friends

Here are a few little miracles that happened (actually there is no such thing as a little miracle).  I felt joy this week, I also felt sadness.  It's hard to explain, but I can guarantee that most missionaries know what I am talking about.  It's interesting that although I am a little further in my mission, it is still hard!  It is so worth it though.

We found some really cool people this week - a lot of potentials.  We had an amazing lesson this week with our investigator R. (the one with the son that passed away - the sweetest, most humble woman you will meet.  You need to come back and meet her one day, please!).  We had decided to fast that day.  We felt that our area needed help.  Let me tell you something - fasting works.  It is so real.  Yeah it's hard.  Actually when I was at home, I could barely make it through church.  When we fast, we should fast for 24 hours.  It is so powerful.  So anyway, we had actually kind of planned a drop lesson with her.  But we said before that, we are going to pray really hard to know what to say and pray for each other.  Wow!  It is something that I will never forget.  It was an incredible experience, I will share more of it with you when I am home.  We listened to the Spirit and asked questions.  We wanted to know what was holding her back.  She told us everything that was holding her back from baptism.  She told us that she wants to enter the temple and asked what she needed to do before that.  She pretty much said she will get baptized, she's just not sure when, due to some family issues.  She has never asked us questions like that before.  She told us that she didn't go to church on Sunday because every month on the day that her son died, she stays inside, it is too much for her to go out.  That is all that stopped her.  Ah, I'm sorry I can't share all of it, but it was amazing!

We did a lot of contacting.  We are working with amazing people.  No one is progressing right now, but we have quite a few investigators.  Something that I have been really focusing on lately is just how much of the Lord's work this is.  We don't do anything.  We do not convert people.  The Spirit works through us to do that.  The Lord will give us people if we do what we need to.  Now that doesn't apply just to us as missionaries.  It applies to ALL members.  Just because you live in Utah does not mean that there aren't people that need the Gospel or that just because your friend knows all about Mormons, they don't need to hear your testimony about Jesus Christ.  I can absolutely promise you that.  Pray for it.  You have to, our Heavenly Father has asked us to do it and if we don't, we are missing out on so many blessings. 
So now, I don't have many more emails left to write in the mission field.  And neither do you.  I have been thinking about this and I really want this.  I need you and anyone else that emails me, to send me at least ONE missionary experience you had during the week!!  One is nothing, you should be having more.  But I need to hear them.  I don't have a lot of time to be able to experience this here, and I know it would enhance my next few weeks.  I know without a doubt that this is Jesus Christ's church.  I felt it many times this week as I pondered on His life.  He is real and He desires our happiness and that we feel JOY.  The Book of Mormon was written by ancient prophets, I love hearing their counsel and experiences.  I know this is true and I am so grateful for it.  I love you so much!  Sister Warner

Dear Dad,

K. is doing well, we haven't had a lesson with her since last Tuesday.  Her step father has been in the hospital and they released him this week because there is nothing the doctors can do, they said he is going to die soon.  She is really sad and they have a lot going on right now.  Please keep her in your prayers because she is amazing. 

It's crazy that my mission has been the most pressuring thing - such as making me feel my lowest, sometimes.  But it's made me feel my best and my highest.  The best I have ever felt about myself in my whole life!  The work is good, we walk so much!  We have been visiting with a less active family.  Well the husband is active but has a lot of doubts, the wife barely knows anything about the church. The M. family. They're wonderful.  They feed us every week - feasts!  Seriously I leave their home rolling down the hill.  She has depression and has felt really sad lately.  But she came to church yesterday :)  They have made SO much progress.  It makes me so grateful to be a part of this.  This is all the Lord's work, He wants EVERYONE to come unto Him.  Our baptismal date with E., he had to cancel his baptism; some cohabitating problems.  He was devastated, he teared up.  I am praying that it gets figured out soon, he was supposed to get baptized next week.  I am full of joy and humility lately.  I feel as though I am being greatly humbled....it's a hard process but all very good.  I love you so much daddy.