Mail Call!

I finally got a good long email from Michelle. It sounds like she's doing really well. Here's an excerpt:

Hi Dad!

Sister Preusz is feeling a little better. She's had a blessing. :D

Ya'know...I've thought of doing nanny work after my mission too...or house sitting or something...I'd have to get a drivers license but, that's at the top of the list of things to do when I get home...especially now that there's a little boxy '80s car I can drive. :D

Indoor dance festival...faith precedes the miracle. Do you remember at my dance festival: It was pouring the night of dress rehearsal and then, the next morning, there was a circle of blue sky over French Field - it was so neat to see so many prayers answered in such a large way! :D

It was fun to see Sister Pedersen - she's doing good! She is ready to go home though.

Missionary wise:
We're having a baptism on Saturday!The Petersens in our ward have their two nieces living with them for a while. Brittany is 16 and Lily is 6. They've lived there since before Thanksgiving and have been coming to church with them too. About 2 or 3 weeks ago Sister Preusz and I went over and asked Brittany how she liked church. She said it was the "most logical" out of all the other churches she'd been to. We asked her if she'd like to take the missionary lessons and she said yes. Her dad said that if it's something she wants to do she should do it. So, we taught her all of the lessons and asked her if she wanted to be baptized on the 2nd. She prayed about it for a few days and told us not the 2nd but, the 9th. Yesterday she had her Baptismal Interview and she is ready to go for the 9th - we are so excited! :D

This Sunday (the 10th) is a BIG day in Alaska Anchorage Mission history. Mission-wide we have set a goal to have 1,000 members of another faith at our sacrament meetings (that averages out to about 20/ward, 10 or so/large branch and 5 or so/smaller branch). The meetings are to be specifically focused on the Saviour so that people will know who we worship. All of us missionaries are SUPER excited about it and the members are getting excited too - they're inviting all sorts of people! I'ts going to be such a neat day!

- anyways -
I really like Eagle River. I've really been blessed to have good companions and good areas. Even the ones that I didn't necessarily get along with still brought learning experiences and growth and taught me more about the type of person I want to be.

Rio Blanco! Yummo! That's way funny (and cool) that they ask about me. :D I feel special! Maybe we'll have to eat there my first night back..lol

That's so neat that Brother Miles is the Stake President now - it's been fun to watch him progress since he was our home teacher.

Did I tell you that there are some members in my ward here who know President and Sister Shoemaker? When Bruce and Susie Clarke joined the Church the Shoemakers were their main fellowshippers! Small world!

We were able to watch President Hinckley's funeral services on Saturday as well (I would have protested if we weren't allowed...I would have been one very unhappy camper..). It was a wonderful service - everyone's remarks were great...I cried alot. I thought it was really neat how many people thanked his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren for sharing him with us. Also, all the comments about how he is with his beloved wife now. I also thought it was funny/cute/special that he had a box of dirt from England that was put in his grave. Shall we get you a box of dirt from the Isle of White? - it would give me a good excuse to go to England. :) Well, time is running out Daddy. I love you!

Love,
'chelle