Mail!

Hello!

I can't believe that I am actually going to be set apart as a Full Time Missionary tomorrow night!
That will be quite the Easter celebration... memorable to say the least. Tomorrow night at 9 pm! Ah, I am so excited and pretty nervous. It will be great to start my journey in the Lord's work though, THAT is really exciting.

On Monday I'll say goodbye to my family for 18 months (except Mom and Brother) and then Nick, Mom and I will drive to Utah to stay with my family there before I report at 2 PM on Wed. April 3rd.

I really never thought that time would fly by so fast and that I would actually be here, writing a "farewell" post but I AM!

Many of my best gal pals are on missions now or are sitting on their mission calls waiting to report like I am. They are all such an inspiration to me! Usually I try to be all, "I'm gonna go against the social trends, or I'm one of a kind blah blah blah." (There's nothing wrong with that, at least I don't think so)

But when it comes to living righteously and trying to be a good person, I'm happy to be on the band wagon of sorts. So the long of the short, I take great strength to know that although I'm no longer side by side physically with my best friends, (and family) that I am doing the same kinds of things they are, just in a different country.

I guess I'm just trying to say, I'm glad that I'm not alone in this crazy, scary, amazing life experience. I like to think that someday, when we're all home we'll sit together and show photos, laugh and tell about our adventures across the globe.

I have always been slightly jealous when I've sat with friends and loved ones and heard their amazing mission experiences and seen how much they have grown, and now it's my chance! I feel so blessed :)

ANYWAYS! If you want to write me, and you know you DO,  my address is above!

I'll be in the MTC in Utah for the first six weeks and It will be really easy and quick to get mail! So send them on over! You can mail letters the regular way, or if you have less time or don't know how to write, you can use dearelder.com which is where you put in my address and they will print out your message and deliver it to me!

Thanks for all the support, love and prayers! It's blessing my life. I'll write an email to my family weekly and if you want that forwarded to you, ask my lovely mother.

Love,
Sister Madison Warner

The Call

Well for starters, back in the beginning of December I received my mission call 

for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to...

LISBON PORTUGAL! 

And seriously guys, I was so SHOCKED! I was picturing myself in a place like Ohio or Kansas, 

and if I ever pictured myself serving somewhere foreign, it was Canada. 

But luckily the Lord has a plan for me. 

He knows my heart and my purpose. 

And He knows where I need to be, 

so that's why I am headed to a continent I've never seen... 

(in person, I HAVE seen a map of Europe, swear!)

Because I am trying to be like Jesus. 

I just want to show the people of Portugal that they are LOVED by 

an incredible Heavenly Father!

Yes, some days I wonder what in the world I am doing,

 leaving my family, work, friends & BOYS... behind for 18 months. 

But as soon as I read the Book of Mormon or am touched by the Spirit, 

I know that now is the time for me to "lose myself" in the work of my Savior.

That way others will have the chance to find Christ and in turn, find themselves.

The following photos are a representation of my mission call opening "experience"

Enjoy!

          Lisbon, here I come!
          APRIL 3rd!

         ...In five days!!?

For the first six weeks, I will be training in the Portuguese language as well as learning the in's and out's of being a missionary at the Provo Missionary Training Center (or MTC).

I will actually fly to Portugal May 15th!


As of April 3rd, my family will be updating this blog with photos, letters and stories!
Stay tuned!

love, Madison aka Sister Warner