Sick as a dog.....

Hello World,
This week has been on the interesting side. On Tuesday, we were biking along on Massey-Tompkins, a four lane street comparable to Foothill, when I looked to the left and a medium sized dog got hit by a car. Tragic. Yes. I know. She cried out, and then just lay still. My comp and I both stopped. Now Mom, before you start crying, the dog then began trying to get up, but was unable to walk, kept falling and rolling over and at this point, I was off my bike throwing my bag and my helmet to the side of the road and trying to stop traffic so I could run into the street and grab this dog. She was scared, and I picked her up. She was bleeding from various places and I took her to the side of the road, set her in the grass, and calmed her down. Tried to take care of some of the wounds and just as I began to do so, her owner came running across the street, mortified and frantic because she had gotten off her leash. After carrying her back over to the owners home and setting her down, the lady began to cry and her and her husband were going to take her to the vet. We went back yesterday, and the dog is fine. Nothing broken, totally fine, up, and wagging her tail. So. That is what I would like to call a tender mercy. Yes world, God cares about dogs. And heals them faster than humans.
And by that I mean segue into:
Elder Nikolaus and I have been inside for most of the week because he has been sick. We are patiently waiting to find out what's going on so please pray for him.
This week, I turned 20. Yes. I'm old now. Do I have to be an adult? Still pending...
But, my birthday was great. A ward member dropped off muffins and cake at 6:30 in the morning, so I had cake for breakfast.

At Zone meeting, other missionaries brought other baked goodies and sang to me while trying to smack my butt. Missionary work at its finest ladies and gents.

And now the fun part. The Zone Leaders also bought me a bow and arrow. aw yips

I came home to two packages. One of them from Gg, loaded with food and treats and some hankies from the Wunders. Thank you. Then the other package had some AWESOME scripture cases that I love (thanks family) and then it had 37 letters from everyone I care about. I must say, and my companion can attest, I cried as I read through the names of people that had taken time to write something, and then continued as I read each one and saw the pictures. I was touched by the "happy bdays!" and "I miss you!" and "When are you coming home?!" I have since read them a few times again, and each time am filled with gratitude to all of you. I realized how loved I truly am and it was incredibly humbling. Each one was touching and I couldn't help but feel the love from each word. So thank you to everyone. I am incredibly grateful.
I hope you are all well and I can't wait to hear from you again. I will try to write as many as I can, but a lot of you I don't have an address for. So write me first! I'd love to hear from you. Thank you again.
Love y'all
Elder M. Wright

P.S. I received a compliment (I think) from one of the Hermanas this week when she asked what my parents did for a living: "Oh, so that's why you look like a lawyer but bake like a woman"
P.P.S. SHANNON WAS CONFIRMED