MTC Week 3!

Dear Familia,

Ah, your emails are seriously what I look forward to all week.  I feel like I have so much to answer and to tell you but I'll probably forget a huge part of it.  So this week was better, it becomes better and better each week.  It is still really hard and I still struggle with patience, but it's crazy how much I have learned.  I never realized how much prayer has helped me.  Even this morning, for example, I probably prayed five times just during the temple session.  I pray in gratitude over good moments, I pray for help in hard moments.  But what matters, is I have learned how to depend on the Lord.  I can't imagine my life without prayer, I'm not sure how well the MTC would be going if prayer wasn't such a big part of my life.  The Lord knows US and he knows what we need help with.  A sister this week was saying how frustrated she was because she felt like Heavenly Father wasn't answering her prayers and she was sick of not being able to be patient with others.  I sat there honestly astonished.  Prayer is nothing without faith, it is us showing the Lord that we know He is there and that we believe in Him.  So a little about this week.... my attitude has changed a lot.  I have come to enjoy teaching our "investigators".  Before I go in the room I imagine them as a person that I met on the street in Los Angeles.  When I do that I seriously feel so much love for them.  I don't know how it is possible that I love these people so much and I don't even know them!  The Lord is softening my heart more than ever before.  This is the most humbling experience that I believe I have ever had.  Someone talked about why we leave all of our worldly possessions home.  I've never thought about it except for just the fact that we are supposed to be on our missions and just focusing on that.  That is one reason, but the biggest reason is so we can learn to rely on the help of the Lord.  When we are going through a hard time, we usually go do something by ourselves or play on our phones.  But, during those hard times is when we are supposed to ask for help.  I have learned that really fast.  I have focused so much on my relationship with my best friend, my Heavenly Father.  I love what a sister told me, that "you are so much better today than you were the first day you started your mission."  I know that EVERYTHING is possible with the Lord's hand.  No one could do a mission on their own.  There is an incredible force here, so many missionaries!  All here for the same reason. I love Hermana Quayle (the blonde one) from my district.    Throughout the day, we share with each other scriptures and notes of encouragement.  From the time she came in, until today, is incredible.  I have watched her testimony sprout in a short two weeks.  That is the incredible thing about the MTC here.  Spanish is rough but it is coming!  I know alot for two weeks!!  I can pray and bear testimony in Spanish.  Please know that I am good and happy!  This is the best experience I could ever have. So this week I was pretty sick with a cold. Like my district leader made me go back to our residence hall, I felt so guilty not being in class.  And it made me realize how I need to constantly be doing something or I might go crazy.  I'm so used to having my whole days planned out that it's weird if I'm not doing anything.  But while I had that little break time I went through the picture book that you sent me (for like the 18th time in three days...) and seriously thought about how thankful I am for my family.  I can't even try and express how much I love you all, but never forget that you guys are my life and I thank Heavenly Father multiples times a day for such an amazing family.  Also I was wondering if you could send me some pictures of Michael?  And some more of the family? That's another thing about being here.  I have always longed to feel Michael as often as I can, but I haven't always been in the most spiritual aspect to receive that blessing all the time.  He is here with me.  I have never in my life felt it so strong, and something about this last week just hit me.  Ah!  I am so thankful for him. I also have been so blessed to be able to feel Cameron, papa, grandma, and Doug.  Truly I feel them so much, and I thank Heavenly Father for it constantly.  Easter is next Sunday!! An Apostle is going to be here!!!!!!!!!  I am so excited!!  I LOVE letters!! You have no idea!  I have heard from some friends, I have been blessed with letters and your dear elders!  Please don't forget about me! I can write letters after the day is over or if I have a free minute, which is never.  I love the EAM (Expect a Miracle) you heard at church, I am going to do that.  It's true we need to have faith or we will receive nothing after.  We won't receive a witness until AFTER the trial of our faith. Okay, well I don't have much time left but I want to leave you with my testimony!  This church is SO true.  The Lord has given me so much, I don't know how I deserve it all!!  Yo se que la iglesia de Jesucristo es muy verdadera y que Jose Smith es un verdadera profeta.  Estoy agradacido por my marveloso familia y por el amor que ellos dan a me.  This gospel is true, thank you for giving it to me.  I love you so much!! It is right before our eyes, and I hope we take advantage of what a blessing it is.  My testimony has been strengthened ten-fold in the last three weeks.  It is so hard, but it is so worth it.  I hope you have the best week ever!! You are in my prayers and all my thoughts.  I love you so much!!!!!

Love,  Hermana Michelle

 Michelle and an Elder from her Zone

 The four sisters in her district  
Hma Sorensen, Hma Quayle, Hma Warner, Hma Blair

 Sisters from her entire Zone

 Elders and Sisters from the Zone

 Missionaries from the District with the famous world map!

Missionaries from Olympus High!