Dear Family,

   It was so good to hear you yesterday! I loved every second of the phone call. Thank you so much for all being so wonderful. For those of you who I didn't get to talk to specifically, I've been thinking about you. I love you so much too! Thank you all for your loving support and for just being you. I love our family. :) Mom, I hope you had an amazing Mother's Day! You are the best mom ever. Seriously. :) I loved our Mother/Daughter talk yesterday and in our letters. I will be responding soon. Everyone, keep being you! You are wonderful. I love you.

   Oh and by the way, Transfers are in a week, so like usual, send things in the mail through the mission office address to be on the safe side if it won't get to me till next week. Transfers are on Tuesday. I don't think I'm leaving Moorpark already, but you never know.

   So a few fun things happened this week, a few exciting things, and a few terrifying things. Story time!

~Fun Stories:

   We went on a District Hike on Monday and we saw a waterfall! It was beautiful. I think it might have been called Paradise Falls in Thousand Oaks. Anyway, I got to talk to a lot of the members of my District and get to know them better. I have an amazing District. I'm so grateful for them.

   We also got to travel over near the edge of Newbury Park so that Sister Moure could have an eye exam from a member of our ward. Road trips are always fun and I really like doctor's offices for some reason.

~Exciting Story:

   I had exchanges this week! And the fun part was that it was with Sister Stoker who was my very first exchange back in December. She helped me so much then and she helped me so much this week too. I love her. She's a great missionary. She actually goes home from her mission next week! (I guess like with my exchange with Hermana Bartschi last transfer, this is the second time I've gone with someone who was about to leave.) I was wondering what Sister Stoker would observe as far as how much I've changed or progressed since we were last together in my first transfer. Haha...that morning we knocked at a door and ended up having a really cool lesson with the woman that lived there. We got her number and gave her the Book of Mormon, set up a return appointment, and said a prayer. As we were walking back to the car, Sister Stoker smiled and said, "You have changed!" It made me smile to hear that. Yes, I still am pretty nervous about talking to anyone and teaching, but I've gotten so much better since 5 months ago. I can do it now. :) Crazy what can happen in a few months.

~Scary Stories:

   On Wednesday we were doing our studies, and I was about to share something I had learned with Sister Moure, when a big, fuzzy, brown spider comes running across my scriptures. Ah! There's a reason why I've been doing my studies on a plastic chair in the middle of the room since then. Too many spiders! I've killed at least 4 this week. Oh well...I'll just continue sleeping with my bed pulled a foot away from the wall.

   Other story, (which I shared over the phone), we were knocking and we found this man that was really amazing. We were able to teach him the whole Restoration and he had good questions and seemed really interested. We're nearing the end of the lesson, Sister Moure was about to share Moroni 10:3-5, when the man says, "Woah. Move!" He gestured down to my feet, and when I looked down there was a big snake only a few inches from my feet! And this really was a BIG snake!  We screamed and jumped across his porch. He led us around the snake and down to his driveway where we were able to finish the lesson, but...ah! I about had a heart attack! This tannish-yellowish snake was between 4 and 5 feet long according to the man, and it was thick! I had never seen such a big wild snake just in a neighborhood. Woooooh.....took all day to get my heart rate back down. But we were alright. :) Good story though.

   Anyway, thanks again for the wonderful call and all of your love and support. I love you family! You make me happy. :)

Love you lots!

~Melanie (Sister Hardman)

P.S.-Thank you for all of the pictures! I've saved them and am going to print them out today. I love seeing you all and seeing you in places I love doing things I love. You're the best!

Happy Mother’s Day! Thank you for the wonderful call. I love you all so much!

My second exchange with Sister Stoker. It was a great day! (You can change a lot in 5 months!)