Melanie is now Sister Monroe

This is officially the first post not written by Melanie. She has just been set apart, and blessed by the Stake President and so her mission has begun. As of this morning, we didn't know if she would be leaving tomorrow or next week, because her visa had not arrived from the Brazilian Consulate. The visa arrived in Salt Lake City this morning and is currently somewhere in the hands of FedEx. Melanie will pick it up tomorrow morning and head straight to the airport. She flies from San Diego to Dallas, and then on to Sao Paolo.

Here are a couple of pictures from this evening. It was a tearful goodbye to grandparents and friends today, but Melanie is ready and couldn't be happier. I am reading this aloud and Melanie just vetoed the last line - "Don't sound so serious!" she instructs. "It was really nice, but I almost felt like it was my funeral." Well to some of you Melanie will be pretty much dead for the next two years, so consider this blog your connection with the afterlife. And best of all, I don't really have to say goodbye because I will see her in the Missionary Training Center in Sao Paolo.

-Mike







Melanie and Michael at the temple.




Brazil is never going to know what hit them!