Michoacan

Hello Family!

  Greetings from the Colonia of Itzicuaro, city of Morelia, state of Michoacan! This week has been pretty cold at nights, although yesterday was really cold all day long. In fact it actually sprinkled a little bit. Today as well was a little rainy, but it's warmer. In this area we do a TON of walking. It's my biggest area so far. And it's on the side of some mountains so it's up and down. My body looks very good except for this AWFUL tan that I fear I'll never get rid of. Exercise is really important. Anyway.. not much to say since I wrote you all individually. I love you all. Thanks for all your emails and letters.

  Love,

 Elder Mitch Poirier

Thank you

My Dear Family,

  Thank you so much for all your emails and especially for all your prayers. I felt broken, but I've AGAIN put myself together and I'm moving on. I'm taking mom's advice about companionship relationships because my compy is really hard to get along with, but I'm accepting the blame and am showing a lot of humility. I'm going to do my best to love him and be open with him even though he is really harsh. He only has 3 months in the mission, so he's a kind of rough. But anyway, this week I've been studying patience a ton. Patience with the Lord, patience with my companion, but especially patience with myself. I really just want to be the most successful, but to some only 2 talents are given. This week I've really felt that Heavenly Father IS pleased with me. I read my Patriarchal Blessing, and it gives me such strength to move on past obstacles and learn. I just have to have patience in all my afflictions. After all, they are hardly afflictions in comparison to what early saints had to face. Early church members would gladly change places with me. I just needed to recall the whole reason I'm here. So I'm going to keep working on patience and other Christ-like attributes. I think that is going to be my goal from now on, just become SO Christ-like. Those are the missionaries who make a difference, despite baptizing a ton or completing every week. The ones that are Christ-like are the ones that are impressioning (is that a word?). (impresionante). Impressive. but not exactly. More like make a deep impression. Anyway, thank you for your prayers. I really felt them. This week was a struggle, but I feel like I'm really learning a lot here. An elder in our district today told me that everyone says these are the best two years, but it's not true. He said that these are actually the best two years for you. Do you get that? They're the best two years FOR you because of the great impact they make on the rest of life. I want to wish Max a ton of success and hope and love in Chile. You make me so proud brother! I look forward to going home just so that I can write you everything I want to say and can focus all my attention on you. For now, please forgive me for not being able to write you letters. I'll do my best, but be patient with me. Know that this is the HARDEST thing you've ever done so far, but the Lord calls 19 year olds knowing that they're weak. He expects a lot out of you, but he'll make up for what you can't do. I love you Elder Max Poirier. You're my favorite brother!

i LOVE YOU FAMILY

I hope that the Lord blesses you richly every day!

Love,

 Elder Mitch Poirier

Hola de mexico

Dear Family,

   I got transferred again! But this time I ACTUALLY left Guadalajara. I'm now in Morelia, Michoacan. WHOA, finally! My new companion is Elder Perez from Chihuahua, Mexico, but he lived 7 years in Phoenix and therefore speaks English. He only has 3 months on his mission. He seems pretty happy and strange. I think we'll get along perfectly. I'm feeling really upset though. I really miss home. Sometimes I honestly feel that I'm just enduring the two years, patiently waiting for them to end. Other times I actually feel a love for the mission. I miss Elder Willett a ton! He's my favorite companion and I really just want to talk to him.

  Last night they didn't call us with the transfers until midnight. Then I had to pack up. I went to bed at about 1:30 but then couldn't sleep.  We baptized this week and last week (I have to send the photos).  I've been doing my best to do ALL that President asks of me, and to be consistent in doing so.

  Please keep praying for me. 

   I love you all so much.  

Love,

  Elder Poirier

January 9th!

Supposedly we're going to the mission offices today so I'll finally get the Christmas package!!! I cannot explain how happy I am about that! It's been two weeks since Christmas!!!! I just want to see the Christmas card and read the letters!  I love our family's Christmas traditions. I can't believe that Stephen Bowzer comes home in one week! Weird!! September will be here before we know it. I just want to baptize at least 31 more people before then! I want to improve my accent! And I want a ton of more recipes! I love that Max thinks he loves the mission already, the MTC is WAY different than life in the mission field. But he'll love it as well. I hope that all is well at home, at church, and at work. I love you all!
Love,
  Elder Mitch Poirier

Happy 2012

Dear Family,

  Where to begin?! I don't feel like writing, I just want to read all your emails. I'm sending you all photos of Christmas here in Mexico, but really it doesn't compare to our New Year.  I LOVE the area. It actually feels like Mexico here.

  Now, as for the New Year, we five Elders had a fancy dinner in our house. We took a ton of photos, most of which without smiles. Kind of ridiculous, but it really was a lot of fun. I didn't want to wear my suit though, so after 12AM I changed into that light-blue sweater (the second time I've worn it on my mission because it's drycleanonly). We went on our roof and looked at the view of all the city. It was pretty neat seeing everyone's fireworks. I can't believe it's 2012!!! Time is flying by! This is the year that I come home!! I really love being here in Mexico. I feel like I'm appreciating it a lot more. I'm going to miss it. Elder Leon and I are practicing our accents (his english, my spanish) in the mirror in the mornings. It helps to see how the sounds are made. I look forward still to getting that christmas package!

  Love you all!

Merry Christmas and Happy 2012!

LOVE,

  Elder Mitch Poirier