Mi Familia en los EUA

BAD haircut--oh well

Yellow sky means heavy rain ahead

Love the rain

 Dear Fam,

  This week was my birthday!!! I saved that birthday package until the morning of (really difficult, but worth it). Thank you mom for the list of 21 memories. I was cracking up laughing. It's so true how embarrassed I'd be to wear my scout uniform in Publix. It's funny here how all the missionaries eventually ask each other if they got their Eagle. All week it was raining and raining. My birthday was no different, but I take it as Heavenly Father's gift for me. He knows how much I love rain. So all day I wore the grey sweater you got me with one of the ties, my new belt, and my rain jacket a member is lending me. I felt really cool (as cool as a missionary can feel). My companion didn't really do anything for me, so after lunch I came up with an excuse to divide with another set of missionaries and work the rest of the day with Elder Berdejo. He's funny, so I enjoyed myself. The excuse was legitimate, so don't think it was really rude to divide. It's just Elder Perez's personality. He doesn't get cold. He doesn't get hot. He doesn't care when another month has gone by in his mission. And so he doesn't care about birthdays. At night, Elder Petersen and Elder Pathakis (two from Utah, but actually cool.. who we play basketball with) "surprised" me with a chocolate cake and candles to blow out. I say "surprised" because I already knew they were going to do it. When they called Elder Perez that AM to tell him, he didn't hear right and so asked, "un pastel?" When I asked why they'd call he came up with some excuse. So I knew. But I really appreciated it. Elder Petersen is great friends with Elder Parry (who was my compy last bday). So he as well knows how to treat someone on their bday. I just felt happy that day.

  This week we baptized Salomon and Michelle (two boys)! They were so happy. I'm glad we finally baptized! And we're baptizing again this week! I really like it here in Morelia, but mostly for the weather. Today is still cold (though prob not as cold as Chile) and really rainy. We went to eat tortas (which is a sandwich, not a cake like in Chile) with Tomas (a member from Elder Pete's ward). We washed our laundry. We cleaned the house. We're not sure what else to do. There's NO post office here or anywhere close, so who knows when I'll get to send my letter to the Shreeves. Plus I wanted to write Max, Reagan, Eva, and you all. Well, until next week then! Remember that the Lord loves you all!

  Love,

Elder Mitch Poirier

Solomon 

I'm almost 21!

Dear Family!

  Remember how last week I told you I was going to take a step back to assess and get a feel for how I wanted to work the rest of my mission? Well, Tuesday I fasted and prayed that I'd be able to figure it out--what do I need to do to have success and feel happy again. As you know, I broke a few weeks ago. Everything piled on top of me and I couldn't handle it. I fell and felt that I couldn't get up. That was a sad email.. BUT Heavenly Father gave me just enough strength to get up and keep walking, although with a limp. Well, family, I'm running again. (this is metaphorical of course). Wednesday morning I read Moroni 8 (I finished the BOM in spanish this week for the second time) which talks about why babies do not need to be baptized. I thought, "Well, I don't know how this chapter will really help me, but.." and decided to read it. Let me tell you, WOW. I was blown away. Read it. But I didn't pay attention to what was being said about babies being baptized. I read it as if it were a letter from mom and dad to me here in the mission. Verses 2 and 3 tell me that you're proud of me for being here in the mission and that you pray for me. Verse 4 tells me that it makes you sad when I have companionship issues (and therefore cannot let that happen). Verse 6 tells me that you both want me to work diligently. President says that we've got to complete the standard of excellence, so to really be diligent, I've got to do it. Verse 10 says that I've got to teach repentance and baptism. Repentance is how people change their lives to be in harmony with Christ's will. Baptism is how they promise that they want to keep living how he wants. Verse 14 basically tells me that if I'm not having success it is because I don't have faith, nor hope, nor charity. Verse 16 tells me to speak with courage because I have authority from God. Verse 17 is what you want me to be able to say. That I love everyone equally. That I want them all to live with God again. Verse 26 tells me that you want me to learn that if I have meekness and humility, I'll have the Holy Ghost as my guide. THAT will give me hope and charity. Verse 28 tells me to pray for my investigators. Verse 27 and 30 tell me that you'll write me again!!  SO overall I felt really grateful for the lesson I learned from that chapter. It renewed my faith and my desire in this great work. Read it, I hope you'll see how it applies to me. Starting Wednesday, the week took a different turn. We started to see miracles. A member called us to come over and meet her neighbors who are all interested in hearing our message. We had 14 people come to church!!!!!!!!!!!!! That's INCREDIBLE! And we completed the Standard of Excellence. This coming Saturday we are baptizing two boys that I really love. Their parents have to work out other issues that will take a LONG time, but the children are ready to get baptized. They're 8 and 10 years old. Basically, I feel good. I feel really happy. I only have the fear that I'll fall again. That I'll get stressed or lose faith and hope. But I plan to study often Moroni 8 and especially the Christ-like attributes. I want to be a person that I'd love. This week I hugged myself in the mirror. A member had told us that we as humans should do it every day to make sure that we love ourselves. As I closed my eyes, I really tried to imagine that there were two of me and that I was hugging the other me. It felt real. Maybe that all sounds stupid, but it actually comforted me. Even better than when I would talk to you all in the stars. So try it! Max especially.

  Now, it's almost my birthday. I love that I'm 21. For the first time (unless I said it last time) in my life, I actually feel that I'm 21. I definitely don't feel like a teenager. I feel way more experienced and mature. I hope that I really am. I feel like I'm really beginning to love myself. Maybe that sounds stupid too, but I really do like who I am. And I want to be even better. I love you family. Thank you for the first 19 years of my life that I spent with you all. These are only two years. Three away from Max :( but I feel that this mission is WAY necessary for my progress and happiness in the rest of my life and even after. May the Lord bless you all this week.

 Guess what, today I asked a new elder if they still make new episodes of "Hannah Manzana"... really?! I said it like "Mon" in english and "zana" in spanish (not pronounced like "nana"). You get it? Aye.

   Love,

Elder Mitch Poirier

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