6 months to go...

Dear Family!

  This week was incredible! My companion and I really saw the miracles of the Lord for being obedient and having a great attitude. Positivity! The goal was to complete the standard of excellence for the second time in a row. Supposedly after completing three times in a row you begin to baptize. Well Sunday came around and we still needed to put baptismal dates with two people and find two new investigators. We had six people in church, all of our lessons, and all 200 contacts. We sat down on a door step to pray that the Lord would have mercy on us. We’d been doing all we could to be obedient, so I felt confident asking the Lord for His help. It was interesting because I wasn’t feeling hopeless or stressed. In fact I was feeling quite excited, anxious to see how the Lord was going to help us. It was like being on a rollercoaster.  A thrill. I was surprised by how I felt. Well, after the prayer, I felt we needed to knock that door where we’d been sitting. Right there we found three new investigators. A cool family that has heard little about our church and was interested. Then we put a plan for the people we were going to invite to baptism. Both accepted as we planned. The Lord really showed us that this is HIS work. We have to do things HIS way. So we are really grateful and really thrilled. There are a few of our investigators that I just love. I love them. And I want them to get baptized!!! By the way, Max says he sang! WHOA. Did you know that I’ve sung BY MYSELF in lessons here?! Can you believe that?! MITCHELL? Yes. So funny. But it was worth it because it brings the spirit!

  As Max says, the Book of Mormon is wonderful! I love it more than I can explain. That’s why it makes me so happy when others we teach really begin to read and enjoy it as well! Our church services are going to start at 8 AM after General Conference. OH MY GOSH. That’s going to be a great challenge for us getting people to come. President Jesperson comes on Wednesday for a Zone Conference. He says he wants to talk to me then. I really am glad that I got everything off my chest because now he really can help me. Family I love you. Mom! I’m so sorry that I forgot to say Happy Birthday! I even wrote it down so I wouldn’t forget! But HAPPY BIRTHDAY! I LOVE YOU! And Dad! Take care of all those quehaceres before I get home.  I don’t want to be a House Elf when I get back. Today we went bowling as a zone. Out of the 18 of us or so, I got second place with a score of 130. WOW. It’s because we haven’t played in so long. PS I HAVE 18 MONTHS IN THE MISSION. Whoa.

I love you all! Always, forever near or far etc. Aleksi got the song stuck in my head.

Love,

  Elder Mitch Poirier

Hola Familia!

My Dear Family,
  From now on I'm only going to be positive. Thank you for all the advice. I hit another low last week, but from now on I'm not going to let myself. I want to finish this mission strong. Elder Perez and I had a wonderful week. We completed the Standard of Excellence without stress. President had called me on Tuesday telling me that the mission really needed me, that I had all the talent and potential, I just have to have confidence in myself and not over-complicate things. Some good things that happened this week:
1) We realized that we need to be a lot more bold in inviting people to get baptized. We need to help them really understand the point in giving them a certain date as a goal. It's so that they actually put in some effort towards being ready. That they read, pray, and actually go to church. If they don't have an effective goal, they will progress way more slowly. So we're going to improve that.
2) One of the best families that we teach FINALLY came to church. It's been a month, but we've only been that patient because they are really struggling with their other family members that are WAY against them meeting with us. Finally the mother of the family had the courage to talk with her parents and tell them that she possibly will be changing religions, depending on if this is really what God has intended for her family. We love them.
3) The weather has been really nice outside. The sun is hot for a few hours, but then it gets behind the distant mountains, and everything cools down. It's breezy. The sky turns pink at sunset because of all the clouds. Occasionally it sprinkles rain. I'm trying to get the feelings stuck in my memory so that when I'm home and wondering if I'll ever get to visit again, I'll remember how great it is here. I'm sure all the world is beautiful. Mexico is not the most beautiful, but it definitely is unique.
4) I didn't get sick! I say that because Elder Perez got really sick. One day he was saying he felt strange, possibly with a fever. Then after a lesson at night, we walked out the door and he said, "Excuse me," and went to go vomit on the other side of the street. Poor guy. But I didn't get sick! Who knows what he ate..
5) We got "special changes" again! It's interesting how many times that happens here for me. I now have companion #15, not including the MTC. Isn't that crazy? In 18 months I've had 15 companions. Wow. Others only have like five. I'm now with and Elder Hernandez from Puebla, Mexico. He's only got 3 weeks in the field. Elder Padgett was just training him, but I get to finish with the next 9 weeks. So according to the mission, he's my "step-son". He seems really cool with a lot of desire and charisma (which is great when working with people obviously). So this should be good. I'm still here in Itzicuaro, Morelia. Elder Perez is going to Guadalajara. He only has 5 months in the mission but as well will be finishing up the training for another elder. I'm proud of him. He's a great missionary. I didn't talk much about him, but we got along well.
   I love you family! Thank you for the package! I LOVED reading Ramon's letter. Ramon, keep doing your best to keep the commandments. It brings such a peace and satisfaction! Thank you for writing me! I can't wait to visit Thatcher and Douglas after I finish the mission.
  I love Florida!
Love,
   Elder Mitch Poirier

Morelia

Tomas, Me and the Hermana.. She's the Stake President's wife. She and Tomas have a torta business (not a cake, it's a HUGE sandwich)

And people have all these stickers on their doors. The catholics. The christians put one that says "We accept everyone" or something. It's funny. And the Mormons have a sticker that says in spanish "Be happy. Be mormon." with a smiley face. Kind of silly

Morelia the Cathedral

Torta

Morelia at night

Elder Pathakis, Elder Petersen, Elder Perez and I