Awesome week

Hello my dear family!

I cannot believe it is Monday again, seriously how does this happen?  Okay, so I say that every week but I really don't understand how... How has your week been?  Sounds like it has been an eventful week in the Warner home, with Bryan getting engaged!! SO awesome!  We had an amazing week here. Seriously I could say that this has probably been the best week of my mission.

I have learned so much this week.  I'm pretty sure the tender mercies were flying through the windows (good luck trying to figure out that analogy, I don't understand it either).  I have the coolest mission in the world, it's fine.  I love being here and I love my bike.  I say that because it is pretty much the joke in our companionship. I hated biking and was so mad when I found out that we were going to be on bikes.  But I literally love it so much! We definitely see the weirdest things on our bikes, but it's great.  I feel like I have so many things to tell you I don't know where to start..... 

I will start with Joseph.  He is getting baptized on Saturday! We have the best and funniest lessons with them, pretty much we are laughing the whole time. He is so excited and we are so excited too.  I really hope that his baptism helps Jackie, I think it will.  He is the sweetest boy ever and everyone already thinks he is a member!  Funniest thing happened this week.  So we have dinners with the members and someone had signed up on the list for Monday. But we literally had no idea who it was, so we called the RS president and still couldn't figure it out because they weren't on the ward list.  So, we just didn't worry about it.  Until we get a call from Jackie, saying, "Sisters, where are you?!!"  We were dying for a number of reasons; we didn't know Jackie's last name and it was just a funny situation.  So we learned what her last name is, haha.

So we have been teaching the English class for the last two weeks and I literally cannot tell you how amazing it is. Seriously *amazing*. 

Our ward had three investigators at church yesterday from the English class. We are starting to work with a man from the class named Roberto.  He is so cool. He is probably about Dad's age and is just super quiet and so sweet.  We had an activity called "El dia de la Spanidad" on Saturday and he went!  We were able to talk to him about the church and set up a return appointment.  We had a member that stayed with him all during the activity and church.... Hello, I love members like that.  It has been the coolest thing ever to be able to work with these people.  It is bringing in people that I really don't know how we would ever find.  And the class is super fun/funny.



Griffith Zone!

I love my mission......

I had an amazing experience yesterday at church that I want to share.  I was sitting there before Sacrament started when I noticed that a less-active that the sisters had been working with for a while, was up at the table blessing the Sacrament.  And then I turned to my left and saw a less active that we have been working with.  And then I turned around and saw the 3 people from English class.  I truly don't know if I have felt the spirit so strong on my mission before.  I can feel it right now as I describe this.  I love what I do.  I love this so much.  We are changing others through this beautiful Gospel.  We are bringing others closer to Christ, to feel of this sweet joy that we have.  As I sat there, I knew without a doubt in my mind that I was supposed to be here.  That there are people that I am going to work with that will change my life forever.  I love what I do, and I love being here.  It is hard and the days go up and down, but somehow through the craziness of missionary work, I have never felt more content.  I just feel blessed to be here and work with these humble people.  I feel so humbled.  I am not the same Michelle that I was six months ago and I am grateful for that.  I am truly becoming. This is amazing!  I have a few experiences to share with you that I will send in a letter, but I am happy.  

Home sounds great, but not as great as it is here ;)  I have been thinking a lot about my cousin, Erick, lately -- tell him that I love him.  I remember how when I was little, I prayed for him every day on his mission to Peru!  I hope he is doing well.  I love my companion, she is amazing!  We have grown and learned so much together, it's so cool.  Let me know if there is anything I can do for you!  Have fun planning for your trip, mom, and enjoy yourself!  I love you so much, mom and dad! 

Love,
Hna Michelle

Joy....

Dear Family!
Well another week down, I really don't know where the time goes!  It goes way too fast on a mission.  We hit our 6 month mark together and it was weird.  It literally feels like I just got here yesterday!  Time goes by so fast here, it's crazy.  We are working with some of the most amazing people.  I wish I had time to describe ever lesson that we had with them.  We have been working with cute Hermana DelCid and she has been coming to church :)  It has been so cool to see how she has changed even over the little time I have been here.  She is always so happy when we see her at the church and when we have lessons with her.  It makes me so happy to see her light up when she walks into Sacrament meeting. 

We had an amazing lesson with Jackie and Joseph!  Joseph has already invited people to his baptism on the 22 of September!  He invited his family and is sooo excited for it.  Jackie doesn't have a date.. (yet:) but she is doing so great.  We talked about the Gospel of Jesus Christ with them and it was awesome.  The spirit was so strong and it was such a fun lesson!  They have progressed a lot.   Jackie told us that she bought 3 skirts so that she could wear them to church (yes, my heart just about melted when she said that) and she wore it yesterday :)  I am always so happy when I am with them.  

I will tell you about last night.  So we went to go visit a less active and were late leaving and so we missed another appointment.  It was 8:40 p.m. so we were going to go try and visit our other appointment, but figured it was safer just to call and reschedule.  So while Sister Wright was on the phone this man walked by.  He said something in English, but I answer in Spanish.  He stopped in his tracts and was like, "Wait, you speak Spanish?"  And so we talked for a little while about how I learned Spanish and what we were doing here as missionaries.  He told us that he is from Honduras (thanks to Hna Sorto, I love literally every Honduran) and that when he moved here he wanted to go to a Christian church, but wasn't sure which one and so he found one down the street.  He was telling us how good it was that we were able to tell people about our message in Spanish and in English.  At this point I was dying, I was so happy.  And then we asked if we could go over another day and we was so receptive to it.  We set another appointment with him and got all of his information.  There is a point of this story.  One - it was the biggest tender mercy, that he was so, SO sweet and so receptive.  And two, I love that my mission is pointing out all the of small tender mercies.  I have been able to develop gratitude for the small things and feel the happiness come from these things :)  I love that I am able to talk to so many people, whether they choose to listen or not.  In other words I have the best mission in the world.  I really am so grateful for it.  I have learned so much already and I still get to have another year out here.  I wish that everyone could see the blessings of a mission though, it's amazing.  I will make sure that I create some cool stories to tell you next week haha :) 
Things are going well here, I am working a lot with gaining the attributes of a consecrated missionary.  It is hard!  But we have been blessed with miracles, it is amazing.  I have been so happy the last few weeks because I literally have put everything into my mission and becoming better.  I am so thankful to be here.  It was a great week here and it's going to be even better this week!  Please pray for me so I don't fall asleep during any lessons this week (I fell asleep during a prayer on Saturday....)  Hope you both have a wonderful week!  I love you both so much!  Love, Hma Warner

P.S.  Those skirts are PERFECT!  Thank you so much, I love them!  I need like 17 more! Another P.S., will you accept some people on my facebook?  A member added me the other day.  You are always welcome to my facebook, I have no idea whats going on with it!  I am so happy not to have it either! 

Okay, I love you!

Six months in the Mission!

Good morning, mom!!!

Los Angeles Temple P-Day with Michelle's zone

Hermana Wright - "I love her!
She is like my sister"

How are you doing today? I am doing wonderful because we just got out of the temple!!!  We saw the new movie and I think I died.  I loved it so much, you have no idea.  It was so sweet and beautiful.  

I have soooo much to tell you!!  First off, do you remember me telling you about Kinoah??  I am really hoping I did because.... he got baptized on Saturday!!!  He was in my Samoan ward and he is 15 years old.   I taught him for about two transfers but the last two weeks of the transfer he went MIA so I didn't say much.  His dad is less active but his uncle is in the bishopric and he had been coming to church for a few months.  We started teaching him and he was the sweetest boy ever.  He had some of the sweetest answers I had ever heard.  He has already been through a lot in his life, so being able to go to church was so good for him.  When we asked how baptism was going to help him he answered and said, "It's going to give me a new start." If that doesn't melt your heart, I don't know what will.  So I hadn't heard much about him until last week when they called and told me he was getting baptized!  The service was so sweet.  I wish you could have seen his face when he came up from the water. He looked like all of his worries had left when he came up.  I felt so warm and peaceful.  I just sat there and was so grateful I was here and that Heavenly Father helped us to help him.  So you could say it was a great week for me :)

Kinoah's Baptism, in my old Samoan Ward.  I miss that ward!  Here I am with my sweet companion who served with me in that ward, Hermana Rudd.

We have had some amazing people that we are working with.  Whether it be less active, members, or investigators.  I have had so many tender mercies this week.  We had a lesson with Jackie and Joseph and they are doing well :)

We have been working with a less active, Hermana Chicas. She is the sweetest thing in the world. The first time that we met with her, I just had such a strong love for her. We are pretty much best friends and I ask her why she doesn't go to church every time we go over, haha.  But she has the sweetest, strongest testimony.  She grew up a member but married a non-member.  

We have been working on showing her how strong her testimony is and how special it is. We went over yesterday and made empanadas, and everyone loved them but me (I'm still a picky eater!)

Yesterday this week, a girl in the ward came out with us. She rode a bike from 2-9 p.m. in the blistering heat!  And it was probably the worst day for her to come.  Every door got shut on us, our appointments got cancelled, and someone dropped us.  My heart felt so sad that she had been with us on that day, I just wanted her to see the amazing and happy parts of missionary work!  She came with us to coordination, and the ward mission leader had her stand up and bear her testimony.  She stood up and tears started rolling down her face and she said that after today she knew that she was supposed to go on a mission.  That she loved what we had done and wanted to do it on her own.  I can't even tell you how happy that made me.

That someone could see the hard sides of missionary work, and still see the beauty of it.  That was a lesson learned for me, is that literally every part of missionary work can be beautiful.  I have gotten used to the hard parts and it doesn't affect me, but I am incredibly thankful that it has made me stronger in my testimony.  That when people do share their doubts with me, I still have my knowledge and my testimony.

Best part of my week:  Kinoah got baptized!  And it was the sweetest thing.  It brought the spirit so strong and I was able to leave with such a peace that I shared with others that day.  Greatest challenge... well, probably that it was 800 degrees every single day this week and it was humid.  I am surprised I didn't die.  I wear the same thing like every day... it's gross, but I don't have other clothes to ride a bike in.  I am going to try and get some today.  I haven't gotten your package with the skirts yet, it has to get here by Wednesday, but I'll get it this week.  

This is how sister missionaries load their bikes on the car!

We walked into the chapel last night for a PMG class and an Hermano told us to stop so that he could take a picture of us.  We were so sweaty and looked exhausted, but he loved it!  I love riding a bike!  I love that it is so weird.  I feel like a real missionary doing it, ha ha.  Even though I think I am going to die in this heat!  It is soooo worth it!

I will try and send a letter FOR SURE this week!  I am sorry I am so bad, I will tell you more stories :)  Thank you for everything my dear!  I hope things are going well at home!  I love you so much xoxoxox

Love,

Michelle

Michelle is still just Michelle !

Oh daddy, thank you for the email.  Sometimes out here, I think of how I didn't do enough.  I wish I would have helped you and mom more while I had the chance to.  I have thought about you a lot this week!  We helped someone paint this week and it reminded me of when we (you) painted my room and I watched, haha.  I will help as much as I can when I am home, but for now this is my help :)  And I love it.  I absolutely love being here and wouldn't trade it for anything. It was an awesome, awesome week!  I had so much fun this week!  I hope everything is going well for you, I love you so much!

Beautiful Los Angeles skyline at dusk
The 'City of Angels'

Letter Home:

Dear Family,

Ah, it has been so long since I wrote you, I am so sorry!  This letter is going to be all over the place, heads up!  First off, mom, I am so happy! We have Korea town, Thai town, little Armenia, and Mexico here.  There are sooo many languages spoken everywhere!  I see some pretty crazy things here! But I LOVE my area!  I am in the coolest mission in the world.  I'm like in seven different countries.  We started keeping tract of how many people say 'hi' back to us - the ratio is definitely uneven.  But here is the coolest thing, it really does not affect me!  It's just life here. I've really realized that it's okay if we get ignored, as long as I show these people the happiness that we hold.  This mission is so incredibly different than Bryan's mission, it's crazy! But it is PERFECT for me.  

Sooo, this Hollywood project, it's really cool! The AP's are working more full field.  They are in my zone right now.  There were like 700 less-actives in the Hollywood ward.  We are working with a part-member family.  The day before we got here, the dad (who isn't a member) got up in Sacrament meeting and said it was his time to get baptized. His sweet wife has been a member for 15 years. We helped them paint the other day. It was a great opportunity to get to know him. He is soo sweet. We have been working with a hermana named Hma D.  She is from Honduras and is SO cute.  I am going to take a pic and send it to you!  She has gone to church the last two weeks.  It is the best feeling when I see her walk in.  She went to Relief Society last night, and I have never seen her so happy!  It has been so neat to work with her.  She has so much desire.
Do you remember our convert, Jose?!  He mentioned that he wants to serve a mission!  I am literally crying.  He is the best person ever!
It is hilarious seeing me on a bike all day but I love it! I always feel exhausted at the end of the day, it's a good feeling.  I never thought a mission would make me so happy. This church is the most precious thing, share it.  Tell and show others how special it is to you.  By doing this, my life has changed.  I know without a single doubt in my mind that I am supposed to be here.  I feel pure JOY!  A joy I will not feel anywhere else.  It's worth the sweat and migraines!  Thank you for always loving and helping me.  Especially on my mission, you have no idea how much it means - every letter and every package.  I hope you can feel and see the blessings of my mission in your life.  You are always in my prayers!  I love you so much.... Hermana Warner

It's a Wonderful Life

Hello my sweet momma! 

My week was wonderful!  I don't even know how time goes by so fast here!  I can't believe it is Monday again.  This week was a little crazy because we got our own apartment!  Yay!  And it used to be an Elders apartment.....not yay.  But we have an apartment, so it's awesome!  I think it is one of the more expensive in the mission.  It is further up in our area.  But if you go one street down, you are back to the ghets.  Our area doubled and so we have a lot more work!  It is awesome, but it is a little stressful because we are on bike and I feel like we don't have enough time to get from appt to appt... but we will figure it out.  There is the next subject... I'm on a BIKE!  YAY!  I am trying so so hard to have a good attitude about it, hahaha.  The first time we went out to ride, we had been going down the street for about twenty seconds.  Well in the matter of that time, my skirt got stuck in my back break and it made a hole... and it is my blue skirt that I literally wear every day of my life!

I just sat there and stared at it for a minute and then all I could do was laugh.  That's pretty much all I ever do is laugh, cause if I don't.. I cry haha.  I sweat like crazy, but I have come to learn on my mission, that no one cares.  Oh, another funny bike story, so we had just gotten out of a lesson with this woman named Rosa, but we went to go get on our bikes and my tube was just done for.  It had a hole in it.  So we had to wait for the Elders to buy a tube, bring it, and then put it on.  We were seriously dying, it was so funny.   My bike is really old.  So, to answer your question, don't worry about sending a bike.  We are going to go look for one today.  But if it doesn't work, I will let you know next week.  Don't worry about it though :)
  

Question 2:  I have heard about book bags, but I heard that if we weren't brand new missionaries, we don't need to worry about it.   And I cannot ride a bike with a side bag  #sorrynotsorry. 

Question 3:  Yes, we are going to start our Spanish program here! It is incredible!  (See below):

Come learn about the free English classes taught by our missionaries in the Los Angeles area! 

Visit http://www.losangelesenglish.org/ to learn more.

4:  I got your package!  You are AMAZING!  My companion loved what you sent her, thank you so much!  I died and went to heaven with your cookies... seriously.  I hope I have the recipe for them!  

Jackie and Joseph are amazing!!!! Jackie has been fellowshipped really well in the ward and she goes to RS activities every Tuesday!  Joseph loves church!  He is the sweetest boy in the world.  Jackie always says during lessons, "Joseph, are you listening so that you will be able to teach someone this one day?"  Okay, I just died and went to heaven hearing that!  They are amazing.  Please pray for them!  We have been working with some really amazing less actives as well.  I wish I could go through every lesson and tell you about it..... but I can't.  I will take pics of my journal entries like Bryan did.  But this week has been amazing because I have tried really hard to focus on how special it is when I am with these people.  I felt so, so much love for the people we have taught this week.  I have been able to sit there during lessons and truly see these people for who they are.  That we are here to help them in what they need and that Heavenly Father loves them with an infinite love.  It is amazing the work that I am able to do.  I truly feel so blessed to be here at such a special time and I know that I am supposed to be here. 

I don't have time left, but I just want you to know that I love this! I hope that others are able to catch the love for this as well and work.  It is so special to be here.  I love you so much and I hope you have a wonderful week!

Life is so good!  Michelle with her District

Love,

Hermana Michelle

Hello daddy!

I am so happy that everything is going well, it sounds like things are great at home :)   How is biking, work, and just everything going?  I have been thinking about you a lot this week.  I had to go to the bike shop the other day to get stuff and it made me think of you a lot!  In fact, I think of you every single time I get on my bike.  And then I think that you are crazy for biking for fun!  My bike is ancient and the chain breaks a lot, so I am going to buy a new one today!  But everything is going so good here :)  I am so happy, it's kind of weird.  My area is craziness!  But it is awesome.  Thank you for your sweet inspiring words, they mean so much to me.  Keep praying for me, I am so tired, haha.  I love you so much!

When you Lose Yourself, You find Yourself

Hello my sweet family!

It sounds like your week was good, I am happy for that!  I told dad that you two should go to the temple together at least once a month. That is me as a missionary extending and invitation to you, you have your free agency to choose ;) haha okay, just kidding.  This week was good!  It was exhausting.  I am physically and emotionally drained! My feet hurt... like all the time.  And my shoes are losing their comfort and they aren't even white anymore.  But hey, it's all good! It doesn't bother me too much. We got transfer calls and we are staying together, but our area doubled!  It sounds like a lot, but it was really small in the first place. So now we need bikes which is going to be fun! And I think I might approach the President, because I feel incredibly scared at 8:30 when I am walking the streets here. Anywayyyy, no worries with that :)  So things are going great here! 

We have some really, really amazing people we are working with right now.  One of them is Jackie and Joseph. Jackie is the mom and Joseph is her son, he is 11.  

They had a baptismal date but it didn't exactly work out because we weren't able to teach all of the lessons by then.  We told Joseph yesterday and he was sooo sad. We went to the Visitors Center with them this week! There was such a special spirit there with them. We focused on families. They are so, so special mom.  I feel the spirit so strong when I am with them. Pray for them!  They are going to get there, I know it.

I have told a few people about President Monsen living in my home ward! It is such a blessing that I can share with other people!  I miss having that spirit of him at church, I really do.  Don't ever take advantage of it :)

P-Day zone activity at the ward!

We lived in an apartment with two other sisters (they slept in the living room... yeah our apt is tiny), but one of them is going home today!  I realized that I have soooo many things to do before I go home and that I still haven't accomplished -  a lot of things that I am hoping for.  So in other words my whole week has been revolved around how I can become a consecrated missionary.  It is so hard! I have read a bunch of talks about it and I have some really awesome goals for this transfer.  That is something that I have realized about a mission, it kind of slaps you in the face (okay, that sounds rough). But through every moment -- investigators dropping us, people ignoring a simple hi, doors in our face, I am becoming that person that I have looked for.  I love seeing it.
  

A mission is so special because you get to look at everyone in the eyes of our Heavenly Father, and that includes yourself.  I love my mission.  I love who it is shaping me to be. I love the hard times! They make me want to try harder. I don't think that I could put into words how amazing a mission is.  I have never regretted my decision out here!  Sorry my email is all over the place, but all in all things are going well here :)  I am happy and alive!  You are always in my prayers!  I love you so much!  

Hermana Warner

P.S. I need to explain mail... our District Leader picks up mail on Wed. or Thurs. and then we get it on Friday. Sorry, I always forget to explain it

Hermana Warner and Elder Williams 
(a good friend of a family member, 
who is serving in her same mission!)

Welcome to Melrose, in Hollywood California!

Mother!

Hello Beautiful!  How are you doing?!  I am sorry that my email was short last week and wasn't too detailed, I wasn't sure of every detail of why I was transferred.  I still am not, but just some things that happened in another area I guess.  I don't have a lot of specifics about it, but it happened!  It was a crazy week.  On P-day last Monday, I seriously just sobbed.  Before we got out of the car, I took 20 minutes just to sit there and let myself feel selfish for a minute, haha.  It was hard to leave, but I tried looking at the reasons for it.  I have an awesome companion!  Seriously, she is great. 

Her name is Hermana Wright and she is from Utah/Colorado (that is where her parents live right now).  I have wondered a lot why I am here in this moment of my mission, but it has been amazing.  I have seen so many reasons why.  One thing that I have learned more than anything on my mission is that everything happens for a reason.  This transfer is so inspired.  I know without doubt that every transfer is inspired no matter what the situation.  So I will tell you a little about our area.  We are in Hollywood in an area called Melrose. 

The area up from us has the Hollywood sign in their area so we are really close to it.  And if anyone is thinking that this is the Hollywood where it's glam and fame everywhere well... They are very wrong, haha.  I have never seen so many weird things in my life than I have here.   We are in a walking area.  And let me tell ya, our area isn't super small.  I kind of want to die sometimes walking so much and I am starting to get feeling back in my legs.... okay that was dramatic :-)  But leading from that, I need shoes.  I only have my white shoes to walk in and I need something comfy.  So if you happen to find anything good for walking please please send it to me :)   I took a million random pictures this week.  But it has been a good week.

I don't have much to update you on because it has just been me getting to know this area better.  But one thing that I do want you to know is this, I love my mission.  I never thought in my life that I would love it this much.  Especially in this situation where I am physically exhausted all day!  I have never had so much fun.  I love being here, I love learning Spanish, I love the members, and I love watching my testimony grow from others.  I have learned so much from others that I have been around in my mission and I love it.  And I have watched my testimony grow and I hear others doubts.  Because I know that it is true.  And that is what is really important to me.  I am just happy here.  And I cannot believe I have almost been out for 1/3 of my mission!  It has gone by so fast and just keeps getting faster.   But all I know is that I will enjoy the time that I do have here.  This is the hardest thing I have ever done!  But it is so awesome.  I love meeting crazies everyday on the street.  I love it.  I talked to Hma Sorto on the phone last night and she is having a hard time, but she got your package, mom.  She said to me in her sweet little accent and was telling me all about getting it, and she said, "I have never felt so loved before.  I just know that your mom loves me."  She just told me what you sent her and it made my heart so happy.  You are so special to her Mom.  She truly feels the love of Heavenly Father through you, so thank you for that. 

We have some really cool people we are working with right now and I know we will start to find more.  

Life is good momma!  Share the Gospel, seriously!  It doesn't have to be a BOM or a huge testimony meeting, but just share something with someone about how the Gospel has blessed your life.  You will feel the joy of missionary work!  I love you with every ounce that my heart holds!  xoxox

Love,

Hermana Michelle

Hello Daddy!

Yes, I live in Hollywood!  I am in a Spanish area.  Our ward is amazing and I love it.  It has been hard, but Heavenly Father knows better than us and he has sent us here to grow and learn.  I love my new companion!  I have already learned a lot from her.  I have heard a lot of blessings in Spanish and it is amazing to me to hear the words that come from our Father in Heaven to a missionary that doesn't know Spanish that well.  I have grown so much in my Spanish, I love it!  All I can ever do is rely on the Lord, and I'd say it's working pretty well. You are amazing daddy, thank you for your emails and prayers.  Send me some pics please!  I think about you all the time.  I am doing well and I am really happy.  I am going to write you a letter about stories because I never have time to email them.  I love you so much :)  xoxo

Transfer to Hollywood!

Hello my sweet mother!
This week we did a lot of contacting and a lot of less-actives.  We have a baptismal date, but it isn't super set.  Also in my email today, I am feeling a bit melancholy.  We received a call this morning and because of some circumstances in another area, we are having a transfer.  So, my sweet Hermana Sorto is staying in Lynwood and I am going to Hollywood!  I am just sad to leave her.  I really thought we would be together another transfer!  But missions are just that way, and as much as I don't want to realize it.. every call is for a reason!  I know that it will be good and I will still learn a lot. 
We have planned a little workshop that we are going to do in our branch because our branch is pretty weak.  We are going to do a missionary workshop and talk about ways that members are able to share the gospel, and what members can do or say in lessons.  We had a lesson the other week and we were teaching the restoration, and the member started talking about tithing and how babies don't need to be baptized... so it's a good thing.  As members of the church we want to share our testimonies, but sometimes we just don't know how!  And missionaries we are still learning, but we had to have training.  So my friends, I invite you to study 'Preach my Gospel' and invite people to church things with you :)  Yes I sound like such a missionary, I know!  But seriously the Gospel is so easy to share!  Talk to non-members about it, share a simple testimony because that is what is going to touch their hearts.  We held a little workshop for the leaders before we do it again with all of the memebrs, and they loved it, which was awesome!!  It is awesome doing things like this so that I will be able to take it in to other areas and be able to help those areas grow and progress.  
My Mission President sent me a text the other day that said he saw me in our [Oly Titans Missionary] video online!  He told me that he was glad that I am here.  That has been something that I have been reflecting and thinking about a lot this last week, are the reasons that I am here, and how I am going to grow through those experiences.  I remember when I received my answer as to why I should go on a mission and I doubted it forever!  I felt like I couldn't do it, even after I had received my call.  But, I knew that I was supposed to do it.  And I am so so happy that I did.  Because I have changed so much.  And I still have so much room to change as well.  That is the one thing about a mission, is being able to humble yourself and allow that change.  Because sometimes I think that I am doing great and there isn't anything I need to change and then - bam - pride strike!  Haha, every time I feel comfortable, a change happens.  But I have really seen the tender mercies from Heavenly Father through those changes.
I think the best thing that happened this week is that I learned how to better work with members.  I am working on how to see others as our Heavenly Father would see them.  So once I am able to love my members, then I will be able to help them grow and progress!   There was a lot of laughing and a bit of crying today, but all is well, my dear :)  I am still working!  I am so, SO greatful for this chance that I have!  I have been so blessed to be able to be on a mission and I am thankful for the tender mercies that reminds me of that. 

Happy 35th anniversary!  You two are so old!  I am happy that you enjoyed your day!  Don't kill me but I didn't take any pictures this week... ah!  But next week I promise!  Okay my dear, well you are always, always in my thoughts and prayers.  I love you more than words can express!  Have a wonderful week!  
Love,  Hermana Michelle

Hello daddy!
Sounds like you and mom had a great week together!  Bryan sent me pictures from the ride. Things are crazy in the real world.  I sent you the email I sent to mom, so it has kind of been a crazy ride this morning!  I am sad to leave my companion, I love her so much.  But for whatever reason it was, I am supposed to be somewhere else right now.  I have really learned how to better deal with rejection, it sounds silly but it truly is a tender mercy.  I have really learned about agency, and as much as I dislike it, everyone has it.  And all I can do is offer what I have to them.  I really think I am doing well, I can't think of anything I might need.  Oh I lied, I need my running watch!  The one that you gave me for Christmas the other year, I want to use that in the morning when we run.  And pictures... send a lot of pictures please!  Things really are going well and I am happy!  I love you so so much!  Michelle