Circle Pasto

Here are some excerpts from my mission Journal about Melissa:

When you were a greenie in Quartu, I came to do splits with you. I think Bishop wanted to give you a taste of being a Senior Comp. Here's what I wrote about you: "She's really sweet and smart and doing really well with her "Senior Comp Week" It was a nice break for me to get to follow her around all week....(Later during an appointment) "We read 3 Ne 11 with her (Massima). When we discussed baptism with her, she said she had an image of John baptizing Jesus pop into her head when the Elders were giving her a blessing. We told her that the Lord was prompting her to follow the Savior's example and be baptized too. She is excited about being a member like her Sister" ...After DDM we went to a contact's house to teach a 1st. She was cleaning but sat down to talk with us. Her little boy fell asleep on her lap. It was the most spiritual 1st of my whole mission to date! She cried throughout. Just as we were about to commit her to read and pray, her mom showed up and started being all cynical. So we sang "I Am a Child of God" 1 verse in and they were both in tears, so we were able to leave them with commitments and a strong spirit. My feet didn't touch the ground on the way home from that!" A few weeks later... After a traumatic experience with a crazy mini missionary that later tried to kill me, we got to spend New Year's Eve with McCardell and Hutchins. "Needless to say we were completely drained by the time we got to the Quartu Sisters' apartment! We all crouded on to two twin sized mattresses to try to get some sleep. It was nice to land there to lick our wounds. McCardell is so obedient and focused."

In short, McCardell err, um I guess Melissa, you are one of those people I was never officially comps with but I feel like we were. My journal and I remember you as a "really sweet and smart" hard working, spiritually in tune, "obedient and focused" angel voiced, awesome Sorella. Happy 30th! Oh Yeah, and attached is a photo of that hard working missionary lookin' lovely at a Zone Conference. Tantissimi Auguri Bella!