WOW......

Ok, so I wanted to be all mature and make like I´m one of those weathered missionaries. You know, make it sound like nothing phases me right? Haha, Well, I opened those pictures you sent, and I can´t lie. I´ve been sitting here in the internet café squealing like a little girl for the past 5 minutes or so. Geeze, don´t do that to me! Haha WOW! Tanner, I admire you, you have some sort of gift that I was never blessed with… Maybe it´s persistence? Who knows! I was in a used clothes store the other day trying to convince a guy to buy some stuff from the owner (a member), and it made me think of Dad and his selling skills… I just don´t think I was too blessed in that area…

Family! Ok, really speaking though, I just want to tell you that I love you. The topic today in our district meeting was love… How we can use love to reach our goals, and really be the kind of missionaries we want to be. It was our companionship´s turn to give the message, and it was just a good, fun meeting! I´m really impressed with my companion. He did so well! We went around and every missionary had the chance to write in each other´s journals about things they admire in other missionaries, and all of that. It was really cool, and I just learned so much about love! I LOVE YOU SO MUCH! I can´t show it too well right now because i´m far away, but soon enough i´ll be home trying to figure out how to SHOW it, and not just SAY it.

Wow, so it´s been such a great week. A great week in the mission means of course it was as hard as all get out, because that´s how it is, but at the same time it means that it was SO rewarding. We found out last night that a big part of our area really isn´t our area, but the area of another companionship in our district. That kind of hurt a little bit, realizing that we´re just going to need to let the other missionaries teach all these investigators, but they´re incredible missionaries, who will do a great job, so it´s ok. One of those investigators is Maria Victoria, who decided she wanted to be baptized again… haha I´m not sure, but I guess I just wasn´t sent here to be baptizing a bunch of people! Almost EVERY time we get close SOMETHING happens. That´s the way life is, and we´re going to keep moving ahead.

We have a baptismal date with another guy named Jairo, i´m pretty sure you´ve already heard about him. He´s a great guy, and he´s really good at the guitar. He came to church yesterday with a complete suit, tie, and even a white shirt. What made me even more happy is that he came walking down the street when we were going to get him with his Book of Mormon in hand ready to go. Little tender mercies like these are so important here in the mission, as well as in life. I´m really thankful for him and his example.

Speaking of tender mercies, we have a new program in the mission, where the plan is to DUPLICATE the baptisms in this coming year. This is a huge goal, and actually has put a lot of pressure on the missionaries to reach the numbers each week. We are supposed to find 3 new families each week, or 10 investigators. Last night before our 2nd to last appointment, we had a whopping 1 new investigator… haha It was a little tough to go through the week not finding ANYONE! The thing is, our Heavenly Father is always there, and sometimes he will try us to see if we´re just going to keep going, or if we´re going to give up. THEN, if we do the things how he wants, or at least for the most part, he will reward us. We went in to our 2nd to last appointment last night, and the family was totally changing everything around in their house. So, we helped them a little bit, then went and sat down to teach them… They called in the rest of the family, and can I just tell you… The kids just kept COMING and COMING, and COMING, and COMING! We got up to 6 new investigators, when a completely different family that is living in the same house showed up! Last night the Lord blessed us with 9 extremely positive new investigators. They are the Family Rivas and Barrios, and we are SO excited to see their progress!

We´re having a huge activity here in the ward to get new investigators this Friday. All the ward members are inviting their friends to come to an open house in the church. Everyone always sees the mormon churches and talk about how nice they are, and we´re giving them the chance to come in and see one. We´ve printed invitations and have just walked the streets inviting everyone(that´s how we found The Rivas´ and Barrios´). All of the ward members are preparing a room that will teach a part of the plan of salvation, and the investigators are going to be able to come see and learn. We´re really excited, and I know it´s going to be great.

Well, It´s time for me to sign off! I love you all so much, and I never even realized how much my love for you would grow on my mission. It´s growing! Hang in there, and just know I love you all soo much! Christopher and Tanner, you´re so cool!

Love you much, see you wayyy too soon!

Elder Micah Melville

P.S. I was assigned to give a talk in Zone Conference, and Elder Clark is going to be there, he´s in a quorum of the 70, and gave a talk in conference not too long ago. OH GEEZE! Pray hard!