Last week of the MTC! LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, here we come!!

Mom! Here I am at my 6th week in the MTC and I am LEAVING!!  Who would have thought that the day would come?!  I have heard just about every emotion of leaving lately.  And I have felt them.  But right now I am excited!  I am ready to leave.  I am ready to give people what I have been learning.  I am ready to be humbled more than I have ever been.  This week has been humbling.  I am here.  I am on a mission!  And I am going to be on a mission.  The MTC has been anything but easy.   I have never been more challenged in my life!  But I have never felt closer to my Heavenly Father in my life.  If I could just explain how I feel today it would take too long.  I am blessed.  That is all there is to it.  I have been blessed with hard times in the MTC and I am thankful for them.  Weird, I know.  But I learned early on that in life you have two directions to go.  You can be upset about a situation or you can grow from it.  I have felt both.  I'm not perfect, actually I'm the farthest thing from it!  But I have learned and progressed.  I have developed not just a testimony but a conversion.  I know without a doubt that the things I am about to teach are true.  And the reason that people don't believe that is because their hearts aren't softened to listen about Christ.  Our church is Christ.  I have felt Him lift a number of burdens since I have been here.  I have felt him forgive me for being short and for not being the missionary that I have the potential to be.  I have really come to terms with what I am doing, and I don't think I would have it any other way.  This church is awesome!!!  
How is your temple goal?  My session was great this morning.  The veil is so thin always there.  I have so much comfort in knowing I have my sweet angels surrounding me.  We had a departing devotional.  An Elder sang 'Consider the Lillies'.  I just cried.  I sat there with a flood of memories of my sweet, sweet brother.  I remembered who he was and who he IS today.  He is amazing.  I love him and I feel him.  It is still so hard for me to admit that he is gone.  I wish I could get letters from him.  BUT, I get to have him right by my side for a year and a half and he isn't leaving.  I am so thankful for him and for the plan that we have. I don't have a lot of time left so I'm going to hurry!!   Well, momma, life is so good!  I got my calling card and I cannot wait to hear your pretty voice!!!!!   Ahhh!  I can't wait!!  The church is true!!  
I will talk to you soon!! xoxo 
Love you!!!
Michelle 

Dear Dad,
I leave the MTC so soon, what the what?!  Life IS exciting.  Life IS good.  Time has come and gone.  The days are slow but the weeks fly by.  I can't even put into words what I have learned about myself, the Gospel, and my Savior in the last six weeks.  Heavenly Father loves me.  It is incredible.  We had 1200 sisters in our Relief Society on Sunday.  Spanish is hard, but it is coming.  I am just putting everything I know onto the Lord's shoulders, I know that I can't do this on my own.  It will take a long time to learn Spanish - conjugations, past/present tense, imperfect, preterite, subjuctive... just to give a few.  It is hard.  I have learned to love my companion. I love her.  I like that story you shared about the marble.  That is my biggest goal in my mission is to see people as who they can become.   You would have loved being a missionary while I am, we work directly through the spirit.  No memorized lessons, just meeting their needs.  I know that is how you are, you want to teach people, not lessons.  That is the motto of the mission.  I love my Heavenly Father more than words could ever express.  He has done so much for me.  I am thankful for my trials and how I will be able to help other people in their lives.  This gospel is so true!! I can't wait to hear you on Wednesday!! I love you!!!

Hermana Warner

Editors note from Michelle's mom:  We spoke to Michelle this morning from the SL Intl airport, just prior to her leaving.  She sounded wonderful!  She bore the sweetest testimony in Spanish, and we are so excited for her.  A picture of Michelle, along with all other arriving missionaries to the CLAM (California, Los Angeles Mission) should be posted in the next day or so, on to the CLAM mission blog: http://www.calamission.blogspot.com  

Michelle with her beautiful friend and Syster Adelide Christensen, who is going to Sweden!  She has loved having Adelide there at the MTC with her!

 

Michelle with her dear friend from Utah State!

Hermana Warner with her district and members of her Branch Presidency

One last picture with her district and their AWESOME teacher (front and center) before they all go their separate ways!