Good Morning Family!

   How are things going in Utah, Virginia, other parts of California, etc? I had a dream last night that it snowed in Solvang! Crazy! No one knew how to drive in it. I was worried because I forgot to get a picture of it and thought that none of you would believe me. Good thing it was a dream right? :) Snow is Solvang would be pretty cool. Have you had anymore up there? Sorry to hear that there's been some sickness. You're all in my prayers and I hope you feel well soon. Also, to make you laugh, I hope you enjoyed my Viking picture. I feel right at home.

   Here's the report for this week: The work is going well. The first few days were a bit slow...no one could meet with us. In the second half of the week things picked up and we were able to serve, teach, and love a lot. A. is doing well. We had a lesson with him this week at a picnic bench in a park and taught him the Restoration. As always, testifying of how I know that this church is true is a highlight for me. Testifying and sharing what you know with others is a sure way to strengthen your own testimony and knowledge. He is receiving it all well and wants to continue learning. The other night we were walking down the main street in downtown Solvang and we ran into him long-boarding and were able to share some more with him. It's really sweet to hear how much his missionaries that he first met down in LA mean to him. He had to leave really fast and was gone for over 40 days before coming here. Those elders and sisters have no idea how much their interaction with him means to him. I hope that they're able to meet again someday so he can tell them himself. Every time he prays he thanks Heavenly Father for them and for us. It's humbling. Dad, I loved what you shared with my in your letter. I hope that the influence that I'm leaving on people is a lasting one and that they can feel my love and my testimony, that it can be a strength to them. We also started teaching a young man named D. who is a friend of one of the young women in our ward. He told us that he can see the light in her and in her family. He wants to know what they know that causes them to glow. :) He doesn't have any religious background, but he is so sincerely seeking this. We're excited to see him again this Wednesday night. Our ward is no doing an English class for anyone who is trying to or interested in learning English. The Spanish influence here is big. The Hermanas have a lot of people that want to learn, and they've needed our help with the classes, so that's something fun that we're now doing every Tuesday and Thursday night. Who would have thought?

   We had personal interviews with President Felix this week in Lompoc. They went really well. It was really good to talk with President Felix for a while. Things are going really well and I'm doing great. I'm cheerful, I'm feeling well, I'm excited for what is to come, and I'm feeling strong enough to do all that I am asked to do. I know that that strength comes from the Lord and from our obedience to him. Everything is in His hands, and we can do this. :)

   Something a little bit hard happened this week. We got a call from President Felix this week for Sister Cox. There are some really hard health problems going on in her family right now with her grandparents. It's been really hard for her of course, but she's doing well and I'm impressed by her strength. I've been really focusing on helping her, keeping her cheerful, and occupied. We had a good, fun week and we've gotten closer to each other. I feel trusted by Heavenly Father to be with her right now. I'm doing my best to be there for her.

   By the way, this week I hit my 14 month mark. Crazy stuff! Wow the time is flying. 

   Also, Transfers are next week! We will get our transfer calls this Saturday. We'll see what happens. I think it will be right. I feel at peace about it, so I'm excited.

   It's a yes on the Nauvoo Pageant?! Yes! I'm so excited. I'm ready and looking forward to it. Can I mark it on my brand new "Nature's Power" miniature 2015 calendar? What days will be gone through? Also, dare I ask, what days will we be on our June Cali/Hawaii trip? Anyway, I loved seeing those pictures from the pageant again. We are all so much younger! It's so fun to see. I'm excited for this Summer. Thanks Mom and Dad!

   Today after emails we will be going over to Patriarch Millett's for lunch. He is so kind and he loves feeding the missionaries each week, so we get to go relax and talk with the Hermanas for a while while eating his famous, delicious taco recipe. (Yeah, I like tacos now...and salad...and veggies...and oatmeal...and broccoli...and roast beef...etc. Yeah, my tastes have changed quite a bit on my mission. A lot of things that I used to hate, I now love. Hope it lasts!) Anyways, after lunch we'll drive to Lompoc for sports with our zone. I'll probably sit there and write letters to you Mom and Dad, while I chat with Sister Moure and other missionaries over there. The zone leaders are bringing pizza today so that should be great. It's so fun to be around other missionaries, and I have to say, I love being able to talk with Sister Moure again. I love her. We have so much fun. We really are such good friends. It's funny how the companionships that were the hardest are most often the ones where you become the closest. You get good times and hard times, but it is definitely all worth it and the Lord knows what he's doing.

   Well it's time for me to sign off soon, so I'll close off with a funny story. This week we went to contact a referral that a member had given us of a sweet young family. We knocked on their door and two little girls answer. With a confused face the older one says, "Who are you?!" The younger one was just beaming at us. We answered, "We're the missionaries! Are your Mom and Dad home?" They said yes and and smiled as they ran off to find their parents. They ran around for a few minutes trying to find them. They finally did and then as all of them were walking down the hallway around the corner, we here, "Mom! Dad! The professionals are here!" :) It was SO funny. We had a good laugh about that one once we got back to the car. Unfortunately the family wasn't too interested in our message, but I'll bet that those two little girls will remember us at least a little bit. Maybe it was just to help us laugh. We'll take it!

   Okay, I hope you all have a wonderful day. Your missionary loves every single one of you.

Love, Melanie (Sister Hardman)

~Viking Pride! Thanks Solvang. (I took this just 30 minutes ago.)

~I put our picture up this week Beth, and then I was eating Frozen jelly beans and I set down the package and had to laugh when I thought we looked similar. :)