friday.

in Monrovia there are certain days where you cant park on a certain street during certain times.

this is so the street sweepers can clean the streets. 

nice for the community but bad when you forget to move your car.

i've gotten lots of tickets due to these signs.

i think this person was angry with it too.

as i walked along the street of Lemon today i found this sign down on the ground.

interesting. what ever the story is behind it.

interesting that today was also friday. 

well as i am blogging this it is now saturday. but same thing right ?

i like it. i like Monrovia. i like the street sweeping.

the warner home.

this is our tree. marmie just told me its a PINK TRUMPET. i love it. she doesnt love having to clean up after it. the beautiful pink flowers fall on the cars everywhere. but it is pretty amazing to look at though.

our house is on a pretty main street in the little town on Monrovia. i love our little cozy home. its small but its perfect. the little white fence and amazing pink tree is how i tell people to find it. also Monrovians know it as the duck house. my sister owns them. they shall have a photo shoot later.

what i currently do ..

i make things.

like these buttton magnets.

my dearest friend from Green Bay, WI taught me how. she is the master of all crafts. an excellent potter too i might add. her name is Molly Summers. i love her with all my heart. she is also an amazing missionary.

she taught me LOTS of cool things.

i started them while i was at the very beginning of my time in wisconsin. in true fashion of being a full time missionary you dont get time to do crafts or FINISH them.

my marmie REALLY loves magnets. so the other night i decided to dig them out of all my wisco stuff and FINISH them. now they are stuck very prettly to her fridge. did i mention i made ALOT of them.

the work of God will go forth !

for the last 6weeks of my time in the Wisconsin Milwaukee Mission i had the wonderful opprotunity to go to Madison to work along side the newest Sister B. Jonhson.

i was STOKED b.c. i had always wanted to serve in Madison but my time was coming close to going home to the warmth of LA. BUT our Heavenly Father knows the desires of our hearts and if they be good and His will He makes them happen.

3weeks into my time in Madison, a wonderful member, Ethan Rooney, of the Madison Universtiy Ward invited his friend SHYLINA CROSBY to church. she accepted. we, sister b.johnson and i met her. we set up a time where we could have lunch and teach her a little more about why ethan invited her to church. she accepted. we had lunch a couple days later. she loved hearing about the restoration. we then started meeting with her 2times a week.

we knew Shy needed the healing power of the Aonement and that she could partake of that sweet fruit through baptism by the proper authority. we invtied her to be baptized MARCH 20, 2010.

Shylina ACCEPTED. i knew i would be gone from my mission but i am ever so thankful to know that the work/truth of God will go forth because it is REAL.

Shylina WAS baptized by her sweet friend Ethan on March 20, 2010 !

Sister Little Johnson took my place in Madison. no one could of been better for my sweet Shy.

i am SO grateful i had the opprotunity to meet Shylina. she blessed my life in so many ways, especially to understand the Atonement more. she helped me to finish my mission strong and to know EVERYONE needs the restored gospel of Jesus Christ and that is blesses our lives no matter what state they are in.

i am SO grateful for the Sisters Johnson & Jonhson [ the Lord does have a humor !] b.c. they are amazing representatives of Jesus Christ and they are both my girls !

thank you Ethan for inviting Shy to church. you were right, she looked like she needed it and she did need it !

the full truth of the Jesus Christ Gospel has been restored. its here for all and everyone !

check it out here.

i am ..

"i am a part of the fellowship unashamed; the dye has been cast.

i have stepped over the line, the decision has been made.

I AM A DISCIPLE OF JESUS CHRIST.

i wont look back, let up, slow down, or make be still.

my past is redeemed, my presence makes sense, my future is secure.

i am done with low living, small talking, colorless dreams, tamed visions, cheap giving, & dwarfed goals.

i no longer need preeminence, positions, promotions, or popularity.

i dont have to be right, first, recognized, praised, regarded, or rewarded.

i now live by faith, lean on His presence, walk with patience, am uplifted by prayer & labor with power.

my face is set, my gait is fast, my goal is heaven.

my road is narrow, my way is rough, my companions are few.

my guide is reliable. my mission is clear.

i cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, divided, or delayed.

i will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of the adversary, negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity or meander in the maze of mediocrity.

i wont give up, shut up, or let up until i have stayed up, stored up and paid up for the cause of Christ.

i must go till He comes, give till i drop, preach till all i know & work till He stops me, & when He returns for His own, He will have no problem recognizing me.

my banner will be clear."

- President Henry B. Eyring

ST. PATRICKS DAY !

i love my birthday being on 03.16 because i HATE being pinched.

i wear green so no one even tries it. kthxbai.

WELCOME HOME SISTER WARNER !

WELCOME HOME !

its good to be home in the great state of CALIFORNIA. i repped LA the whole time i was in WISCONSIN. now i gots to live up to it !

for real. i LOVE california. i LOVE wisconsin. i LOVE my family.

i am so grateful to be back home with them. its kinda strange at the same time though ! i get to call/see/talk to them wheneve i want to. thats fun.

they threw me the best homecoming.

i feel so loved from all who supported me over the 18 months i was serving my Heavenly Father. THANK YOU. it means the world to me.

now for real life. cali nation is where its at. for now anyways. we will see what the Lord has in store for me. STAY TUNED. you never know what will happen in the life of ..

MELANIE ELIZABETH WARNER.

devote all thy service in Zion .. ALWAYS ! [03.01.10]

3 John 1:13-14
"I had many things to write, but I will not with ink and pen write unto thee:"
"But I trust I shall shortly see thee, and we shall speak face to face."

THE END. see you Friday, March 5, 2010 @ 2pm !

sweet reunion 2010 here i am !

joking. but what if that is all i wrote ! isn't that a GREAT scripture ! i love it. thank you e. wood !

so on to the REALNESS of the FINAL DAYS as SISTER WARNER !

life has been GREAT. full of joy and working hard. i swear we barely get time to sleep. we lie our heads down and the next minute the alarm is going off. where does the time go ? TO THE WORK OF THE LORD !

when i left i chose a scripture that related to me [with the help of a friend named aaron ! thank you.]

Doctrine & Covenants 24:7-8
"For thou shalt devote all thy service in Zion; and in this thou shalt have strength.
"Be patient in afflictions, for thou shalt have many; but endure them, for, lo, I am with thee, even unto the end of thy days."

it helped me to know i was never going to be alone in this great task that lay before me. i knew there would be rough times but i also knew b.c. the Lord promised that He would be with me and i would have strength to keep going. it doenst stop here in the WISCONSIN. i will devoted all my service in Zion .. ALWAYS !

we are on to a NEW week and a NEW TRANSFER .. this time i know it will be A LOT warmer where i go !

this last week was amazing and i just LOVE love LOVE being in the service of the Lord. it truly doesnt get any better.

02.22.10
* we WALKED on Lake Mendota. SO FUN ! good pday fun !

* we also had a wonderful dinner with the evansons. he is a christian scientist and its really cool to learn from him. there is one of his centers in arcadia ! cool !

02.23.10
* district meeting in MONROE this week ! we had a fun time making a spaghetti lunch ! the elders made desert and it was great ! it was nice to just eat lunch at the church and talk more about our areas !

* JENNY CAME BACK & CALLED US ! she left town and then her phone was disconnected but she is back so we got to see and teach her !

* r.w. williams. i got to say goodbye and take a picture. he calls me SHORTY all the time. he is 6'3" though ! i wish i could report he is doing better .. we have been trying to rescue him, he was just baptized in october and then stopped coming in november sometime and told us he promised Jesus he wouldnt step foot back into the church. we reminded him of the promises he made at baptism but he just doesnt get it. we love him and only the Lord knows !

* the MEYERS = so cool. her and her husband both served missions and they will do anything for us. they have this cool fedex discount so they helped me mail a box of my junk home .. FYI marmie .. a box will be coming and its just my stuff ! THANKS !

02.24.10
* HIGHLIGHT WAS ELDER L. TOM PERRY SPEAKING TO US.
the sad part was that we were allowed to go out to milwaukee. e.perry didnt want anyone traveling over an hour b.c. of weather so only milwaukee peeps got to go BUT we did get to be there thanks to our mission president genius and his computer skills. he got a camera and EVERYONE around the mission watched it through the internet projected on a wall. it was a stream line video and it was good. my lil' pluim gave the opening prayer and it was amazing.

it truly was inspiring and uplifting. it grounded me more firm in the foundation of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

* that night my PANG KOU took us out for sushi ! it was sister b.johnsons first time and it was oh so yummy ! i LOVE sushi. i got to say goodbye to her. she has come such a long way in the past year in being baptized and continuing to build her faith.

02.25.10
* the BEST lesson with our SHYLINA. we taught her the PLAN OF SALVATION as she was in it. it was so cool. the spirit was so strong. tears were shed. the need for the atonement in each of our lives was confirmed again and it was beautiful. we set a tentative baptismal date with her for the end of march but it was her spring break so we had to leave it at that and get back to the drawing board of when her baptism should be ! but she wants it !

* i found out that night that I AM A GRANDMA AGAIN ! MY BABY GIRL SISTER BLACK IS TRAINING ! she is gonna have a girl ! she is going to train in the northwoods of wisconsin in RHINELANDER. its was close to the UP ! she is gonna be AMAZING. i love you my sister black.

02.26.10
* what a good day of when you make plans to see people and sometimes things get cancelled but then the Lord puts the right people in your path at the right time. it was great. we also had beth with us half the day and it was perfect ! i love following the spirit and being guided !

* we had lunch with papa and mama nolte ! i love living with them. we are lucky !

* watching THE TESTAMENTS with shylina ! she loved it. got a better understanding and visual of the book of mormon and the bible and how they work hand in hand !

02.27.10
* BETH WITH US ALL DAY ! that girl is stellar and is such a good little missionary !her testimony is solid.

* teaching SHYLINA with beth and setting a SOLID baptismal date with her of MARCH 20, 2010 ! she has the faith and so do we ! she is amazing. thank you ethan for inviting her to church with you !

* we had a great SPORTS NIGHT with mad 3 & mad 4 and there were so many youth there. solid opprotunity for them and their friends to have something fun to do on a saturday night and they DO bring there friends. we got a potential and that was cool ! and plus dodgeball is way fun !

02.28.10
* my last sunday on the mission. it was good and filled with love and service !

* we had a great time at the bishops talking about e. perry and a good dinner !

* then we had a 2nd dinner with ericka and that was amazing but so filling ! i love her and just hope she continues with breakthroughs !

AND NOW TODAY ! we are going to tour the CAPITOL ! i am excited. i like buildings. we are also playing dodgeball with the elders and making dinner for the NOLTES ! and then YSA FHE of course !

good & busy. that is how we stay in mad town !

this is what president said to me today and i just LOVE it !

What a finisher! Photo finish by a Photo Expert.
Knew you could. Knew you would.
And set a date at the finish line.
You are my Warner Warrior! Flame-thrower!
Well done. (In fact, VERY WELL DONE when you use a flame thrower :o)
-President Barrett


I LOVE THE WMM ! life has never been better then this.

see you in just days now. WOW.

I LOVE YOU.
sister warner

2 Timothy 4:7
"...the time of my departure is at hand.
"I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:"

the standard of truth ! [02.22.10]

A WEEK OF PURE MIRACLES !

i love this work. its so hard to describe. you just have to FEEL IT ! i hope you can feel it through my writings.

time is ticking and we are running hard. we hardly ever have time to plan. i LOVE mad town and working with the UW and being involved with the start of the LDSSA on campus. THINGS ARE HAPPENING. its just the beginning ! there will be no end with the work of God !

we have good plans for this week to FIND and INVITE ! we are going strong yet !

ALSO .. this is the BEST news of ALL !

ELDER L. TOM PERRY is coming to speak to the WMM ! we get to go to Milwaukee on 02.24.10 and have an apostle of the Lord instruct us personally. I AM STOKED !

as i have thought about this prior week i have thought a lot about THE STANDARD OF TRUTH. we quote it every week and it is ingrained in my heart.

“The Standard of Truth has been erected. No unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing. Persecutions may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble, calumny may defame. But the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear, til the purposes of God shall be accomplished and the Great Jehovah will say, ‘The work is done.'” - Joseph Smith Jr.

THE TRUTH OF GOD WILL GO FORTH ..

my purpose [missionaries purpose is to ..]

"Invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end."

as we invite the truth goes forth. IT IS REAL. this is how i know ..

02.15.10
* we were on a panel at the UW for the students for social welfare. it was a religious panel. there was the SISTER MISSIONARIES [meaning s. johnson and i], a CATHOLIC FATHER, MUSLIM MAN AND WOMEN, an ATHEIST, and a RABBI !

* it was such a cool event and exposure. i LEARNED so much. it also helped not only the UW students to learn about LDS but it helped solidify my own personal testimony.

02.16.10
* no snow for once on our way to platteville !

* we worked the day in MINERAL POINT with JEREMIAH JAMES ! i love that guy. he is so solid and continues to grow in the gospel each day. when i met him a year ago at UWGB he was not down with organized religion and then he found the truth of God.

* jeremiah introduced us to a bunch of his friends in point and we got to teach them what he knows changes his life. we also had dinner with his parents and they love the mormons now and i can see them coming to the fold one day too !

* we also had another dinner that night with the ROSES ! heidi rose is actually from BURBANK ! L you actually know her .. funny ! she knows justin stevenson .. remember high school drama ! well hedei is so down ! i am positive we were at the same youth dances. oh my HANNAH HAMILL she knows you TOO ! crazy cool.

02.17.10
* PHO ! i love pho. #1 hmong dish. i will have to make it for you family !

* after we had pho with chia [he just returned from his mission in roseville CA !] ethan and SHYLINA. i love that girl. questions bring about such change and understanding in a person. we asked her if she thought she could have a clean slate, a new start and she said she did not know. we are teaching about Christs Atonement and we taught her the truth that SHE CAN BE BORN AGAIN. she accepted a soft baptismal invite that when she did find the BOM to be true she would be baptized. she is amazing. tears were flowing from her eyes and the spirit was SO strong.

02.18.10
* GREAT DAY AND SAD DAY !

* we had a lesson in the AM and while we were there we got a call from our big JP. we were planning on teaching him later that after noon after our FIRST EVER BOOTH AT THE UW ! so the story goes on ..

we call JP and he tells us his dad is flying out to bring him home. we panic. crazy. hopefully this will make sense.

* lets talk about the UW booth real quick ! IT WAS SO GOOD. sean is way down for it and his testimony is growing and he is standing strong as a LDS ! so we were at the booth for a bit and then we went to go talk to JP.

* so here is the story about JP ..

he is from WASHINGTON. he actually knows where you live uncle rick ! he is like 45 mins from there. so his family sent him here to the WIS to play hockey. he is good. he is 18 and was finishing his senior year of HS here in WI to play hockey. 6 months ago when he came the missionaries got a referral for him b.c. his GF is LDS and goes to BYU. so the missionaries start teaching him. he loves it and is so solid. fast forward to now .. we committed him to bridge the gap between BELIEVING and KNOWING. he did and he found out it was right. he told his parents that he knew the BOM was true and that he applied to BYU and they came to WI to take him back to WA. how crazy. we were really sad but we KNOW the truth of God will go forth and nothing will stop it and JP is diligent and KNOWS it. but we are sad yet.

02.19.10
* i love teaching ericka and nitasha. we are helping them find there way back to the Lords path and great miracles are happening.

* THE HOUSE OF THE LORD. THE CHICAGO TEMPLE ! we got to go b.c. the madison YSA and the MILW YSA were doing a baptism trip and SARA HASKELL, HEATHER BOESE and GRETCHEN FAILE were there and were able to participate. also SHYLINA came as well and studied in the waiting room. how amazing. the spirit was so strong and the love of the Lord abounded. it was an amazing night.

* oh and the naperville 5th YSA were there and i met someone that knew the CANNONS ! go cannons !

02.20.10
* teaching camille is always a blessing. she will be baptized sometime in march when her husband receives the priesthood. she is stellar though. i also slipped on ice on the way to her door and sister b.johnson and i could not stop laughing. I LOVE TEACHING BY THE SPIRIT. its the way to go. her needs were met and it was a powerful lesson.

* BAHA'I GATHERING. so cool. so a couple diff faiths get together and there is a subject we discuss. we discussed LOVE. it was cool b.c. the Baha'i family who hosted this lived in Pasadena for about 8 years or something ! what a small world. i got to learn a lot about the Baha'i faith and it was really interesting. i love learning about other faiths b.c. then i better understand truth and the truth i have found.

02.21.10
* SUNDAY ! i love sundays.

* we taught linda r. and she is amazing and is so strong. she has been on and off about the gospel and now she is back on the Lords path and preparing to go back to the temple. it was so great to hear/feel her testimony. i love her.

the adventures for this week will surely be doubled ! i feel so blessed to be apart of something that will not end. its amazing.

have a good week and remember we are the Lords instruments in blessing the lives of those around us.

I LOVE YOU.
sister warner

3 Nephi 5:13
"I am a disciple of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. I have been called of him to declare his word among his people, that they might have everlasting life."

LOVE ! [02.15.10]

TIS THE MONTH OF LOVE !

there are so many people/places/things i LOVE. it is A LOT. trust me !

this past week i have been focusing on THE LOVE OF GOD.

how fitting for the DAY OF LOVE .. valentines day !

i LOVE these Scriptures ..

1 John 4:7,9-11,16,18-19
"Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God."

"In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him."
"Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins."
"Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another."

"And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him."

"There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love."
"We love him, because he first loved us."

2 Nephi 1:15
"But behold, the Lord hath redeemed my soul from hell; I have beheld his glory, and I am encircled about eternally in the arms of his love."

we learn a lot about the love of our Heavenly Father from John and Nephi !

i LOVE love. i LOVE knowing my Heavenly Father loves me eternally, He sent us His Son so that through Him we could live with Him again. i know my HF loves me enough to help me keep going, growing and changing so that i can be a little more prepared each day so i can return home to live with Him. it is all b.c. of LOVE.

this week was VERY filled with LOVE from sister b.johnson and i !

here is the down low ..

02.08 ..
* a very relaxing PDAY of writting letters and getting to chill ! it was full of love as we wrote to family and friends !

* a fun family dinner with the payne family. their little girls reminded me of how crazy us warner girls were for you marmie ! you are wonderful.

* sister b.johnson and i made the YSA FHE treat of "puppy chow" aka muddy buddies ! so good. we got to have a nice chat with our wml sean and he is so on board and his FAITH is increasing with the LDSSA and INSTITUTE !

02.09 ..
* STORM ! it was a white out and we had to drive to platteville and then to the east side of mad town and then back to the west and all over. we were SAFE marmie ! i feel like i can drive in anything now after 2 wisconsin winters !

* interviews with our papa barr was the best. it was weird that this was my last transfer interview. president asked me when i walked in, "ready to sign on for one more ?" with a little wink and i told him i would love to but that you family would kill me ! he agreed but doest really want me to go !

02.10 ..
* we had appointments back to back ! it was really good ! some new to teach like SUSAN and then also BRITTANY who has been learning for a long time.

* i survived eating a bite of a weird Laotian egg. so did sister b.johnson ! thay and souy gave it to us and they barely speak english so luckily we didnt die from the egg !

02.11 ..
* LUNCH and LESSON with SHYLINA ! it was amazing ! she is stellar. you can tell she needs the healing of the atonement and she is going for it. ethan who is a member referred her to us and he texted us that night and told us she was going to quit smoking ! we didnt know she smoke or had even talked about it at all with her ! HOW AMAZING !

* mad four splits was so fun ! i love going on splits with the women and getting to visit new faces and help all involved feel the spirit of the Lord !

02.12 ..
* we did service at the old folks home ! we love tabor oaks and being able to serve and help them ! the old people are so funny and cute ! we got to help with a chocolate fountain fondue party ! i love chocolate ! they LOVED the party for them !

* we have many opprotunites to rescue those who are falling away and that was a focus on friday. we had amazing lessons with nitasha and ericka. i love them and with Gods Love they can find their way back on His path.

* we started HEART ATTACKING people that night ! it was way fun and we had to be sneaking ! we were like little cupids !

02.13 ..
* HIGHLIGHT = JP MATHER MADISON CAPITOLS HOCKEY GAME ! another + was meeting emily .. his BYU GF who introduced him to the church. it was a FUN hockey game and we got to meet JPs dad who is not very down with the church and we heart attacked JPs car thanks to emily having his car keys !

* MY 18 MARK ! i have officially been sister warner for 18 months ! sister b.johnson and i celebrated and it was fun ! i cant believe time has gone SO fast !

* more and more heart attacking ! so so so fun !

02.14 ..
* DAY OF LOVE ! what better place to spend then at church !

* shylina made us valentines and drawings ! she also loved church again and is enjoying reading the book of mormon, she is golden !

* the GAILUSHAS = LOVE ! bro. gailushas made us an EXCELLENT VALENTINES DINNER ! peppercorn steak [i LOVED it !] garlic mashed potatoes and green beans with peppers and chocolate mousse ! MAN WAS IT GOOD. it was full of love as well !

* we heart attacked some more and then had chocolate smores with papa and momma nolte ! man that is why i have gained weight in the WIS !

now its on to another week of teaching, finding and doing good !

I LOVE EVERY MINUTE OF IT !

keep spreading the LOVE to all those around you ! i will !

I LOVE YOU.
sister warner