Bullwinkle?

Imagine coming home to this in your front yard! This pictures was taken by Sue Dickson. Sister Dickson and her husband are in the ward where Michelle is currently serving.

Surprise!

I did end up getting an email from Michelle. Here's what's going on...

Daddy,

The week has been good here as well. :D We had our second baptism on Saturday and it was so good! Tracie has been working with the missionaries since before I got to Alaska and it's been a rollercoaster ride. We were so excited to see her baptized on Saturday and then confirmed yesterday. It was wonderful! :D

Things are going very well here. We got our transfer calls on Saturday and I am staying here. Sister Hubbard is going to Rabbit Creek to be with my MTC companion, Sister Pedersen. Sister Sloan is coming from Eagle River to be my companion. I'm way excited! Sister Sloan is awesome and we get along very well! I'll miss Sister Hubbard but she's not that far away and I know that she and Sister Pedersen will get along well.

I got the Valentine's package from you and Bug! Thanks! The macadamia nuts are gone and I'll start in on those Andes Mints tonight. :D Thanks for the teddy bear too, it's very cute and TRAVEL SIZED! :D

Well, have a fabulous week!

Love,'chelle

Staying Put

I received the following email from a member of the ward where Michelle is living. Since it's a Holiday, I'm guessing that's why I didn't get an email from Michelle. They have to use the public library to email and they're closed today.

Chris,

Sister Barrett asked me to let you know she did not get transferred and will remain in her current location for another 6 weeks….yay! We are glad to keep her.

Sue Dickson

On a bumper sticker: "If you're living like there is no God, you'd better be right"

Mail Call!

Here's the latest from Michelle. Short but sweet. Just a reminder... Transfers are Monday, Feb 19th. Plan your mail and packages accordingly. She has a hunch she'll be moving.

Daddy,

I love Sundays too! :D It's amazing to get people there and see them soak everything in. We had 4 people at church yesterday, but only 3 of them are baptismal age...but still - YAY! :

I'll send my camera card soon, I promise...along with the audio tape...I completely forgot to include that in the package I sent you...Yep, Saturday is Transfer Calls. We're going to have a Zone activity. We'll play Volleyball from 7 - 11:30 and the APs and President Lewis will call us on the ZLs cell phone and then we'll all go to lunch and then go do a zone tract! Yay fun!

I love you too!

Love,'chelle

Why we do what we do

"Some Christians carry their religion on their backs. It is a packet of beliefs and practices which they must bear. At times it grows heavy and they would willingly lay it down, but that would mean a break with old traditions, so they shoulder it again. But real Christians do not carry their religion, their religion carries them. It is not weight; it is wings. It lifts them up, it sees them over hard places, it makes the universe seem friendly, life purposeful, hope real, sacrifice worth while. It sets them free from fear, futility, discouragement, and sin--the great enslavers of men's souls. You can know a real Christian, when you see him, by his buoyancy"

-Harry Emerson Fosdick

Mail Call?

Things must be busy up there. Here's the whole of her letter this week.

So, I got [your] email, but I don't have time to reply to it so I'm
just going to print it out and write you a real letter...CRAZY! love you!

Love,'chelle

So, more later...

Mail Call!

Sorry for the delay. I received an email from Michelle last Monday, but have been so busy at work, I haven't had a chance to update this.

Actually, her email was short and sweet. She's doing great! They are going through a bit of a warm spell up there. It's been above freezing a couple of times!

Just a heads up... Transfers are February 19th. Michelle will find out on the 17th if she'll be moving.

Here's a great quote that I hope you all enjoy, and in fact, is one of the reasons Michelle is serving a mission:

The Great Plan of Happiness
"To be without God in the world--in other words, to refuse to live His gospel and therefore lack the companionship of the Spirit--is to be in a state contrary to the nature of happiness. The gospel of Jesus Christ is, in fact, the--note that this is singular, meaning it is the only--'great plan of happiness' (Alma 42:8). If you opt for any other way of life or try to live only the parts of the gospel that seem convenient, such a choice will cheat you of the full, resplendent joy and happiness for which you were designed by our loving Father in Heaven and His Son."
(Marcus B. Nash, "The Great Plan of Happiness," Ensign, Nov. 2006, 49)