24 June 2013

I can't believe that I've been out here for almost 2 weeks. Time is just flying by. Its so funny because now I think im just going to start telling the members that I'm from Thailand. I've gotten like 5 encounters this week where i can feel people just staring at me, THEN ask where I'm from and when i say California, they get an even more confused look on their face. Its hilarious but super awkward at the same time. So my companions have realized that I eat like i'm pregnant. I eat the most random meals I guess and just keep eating. I'm glad we walk a lot because I would have gained 50 pounds by now. 

Okay hopefully I remember everything that happened so i can tell you all in one email. But yeah the members here are great (and even better by that broadcast last night! AMAZING) but yeah it was kind of hard for me at first because my trainer Sister McHaley has been here for 5 months and everyone LOVES her. I love her. She reminds me of Hilary sometimes haha. But yeah she's so perkey and bubbly all the time. But I can't be like that all the time haha. So I hope the members aren't getting the wrong idea about me. Okay back to the point. anyway so members are kind of distant still from the missionaries because, missionaries in the past haven't been as motivated i guess. But we're trying to change that! The ward members are so willing to help with anything and everything though. the young women are so cute! 

This week was a bit tougher on my spiritual needs but sundays always snap me back into place, which im grateful for, so you guys dont have to think im depressed or something haha. But yeah I was struggling with the belief that I could baptize. I didn't think that I was distracted by this visa waiting thing but just this thought that i could leave soon made me less motivated to try because its not like i would see them take that amazing step in their lives. But then i relaized it doesn't matter. as long as their progressing. I have no idea if that made sense but yeah thats how i felt. 

I've also struggled with patience. haha I love the people we teach so much and it frustrates me when they dont see why they need this! ahh! this one lady is less active and she believes its true and the Book of Mormon but still wants to go to her chruch even though no one else believes in the Book of Mormon. I was trying not to have a dirty look on my face haha. I was just so confused and she kep talking in circles and I couldnt follow. The spirit told me to keep my mouth shut though because anything I would say would just be bashing with her haha. 

Heavenly Father has helped me so much though this week with forgetting myself. At first i was wondering why it was so hard, duh i wasn't asking for help! haha how dumb am i? But these past few days its been easier ah i love it so much. i love teaching. sort of. 

oh people here in the south say: WWJD: you go done what jesus done told you to do. haha man i could laugh at these accents all day!

Shamone Peterson got bapitzed wednesday and confirmed sunday! whooo! it was amazing she was so ready to be baptized. I love her. We prayed and fasted for her last week so that she would find a job and be able to move into a better area. Elder clifford said that when he was baptizing her he said amen and she already started falling backwards. She didn't even wait to plug her nose. it was so funny!

We had lunch with the president on...well im not sure what day it was anymore but last week sometime. and Sister Makin didn't have her tag on the whole time haah! it was hilarious. she keep putting her hair in front so he wouldn't see. 

We tried to go teach this alcoholic darren this is how the conversation went: 

"have you been reading?"

"yes.....no."

"have you been drinking?"

"no...yes." 

haha then we left and rescheduled. he forgets about us a lot. 

We teach this lady maggie. She's amazing. Her two daughters are amazing. She has to work all the time so its hard for us to keep up with her. And WILLIE! ahh willie is 65 years old and has a problem smoking. he's got a lot of health issues so we just need him to come to church one more time so he can get baptized. he's trying to stop smoking. We prayed for a miracle sunday that he would somehow be able to make it. He didn't but we were blessed with another miracle! a different investigator Carolyn came and she knew some women in relief society so it was great. we were NOT expecting her at all so it was the best feeling. oh the other day when we went and saw sister roderick. it was super weird she held us for like 5 minutes each shouting hallelujah and thanking the lord. I guess thats good, i just couldnt help but laugh haha. Sorry this is super long. I guess thats it for now.

I pray for you every night! i love you guys so much. ah im so jealous you're in thailand! send me lots of pictures and tell kunyai that i love her! so weird my whole family is in thailand and im in south carolina. ah! love you so much :)

-sister mullen #2

24 June 2013

That is SO funny that Grandma cried leaving Buddy! AH I MISS OLIVER SO MUCH! This week has been fun. We had a baptism to plan! Sister Oh is so amazing and was so ready to be baptized! Sister Yeo and I sang Nearer My God to Thee. There were actually two investigators baptized yesterday! and while they were getting dressed, a member passed one flower to everyone and at the end of the baptism, everyone came up and gave them the flower. It was AMAZING and I want that to happen at every baptism!!! It was so special.

Taught English for the first time in a few weeks because of the whole moving thing and it's been raining so not many people come so I just won't teach my intermediate class. I missed it so much!!! Seriously they think I'm funny. This WHOLE entire mission is for me and I can't seem to find a way to repay this debt I've gotten into. There is NO way that we can do service and not feel that return once we've done it. 

We went back to a lady that seemed semi interested and... lets just say she definitely was NOT interested. haha It was the awkward feeling but as we press forward God blesses us, because right after that, we got to the church and there were 3 random new people waiting for us and we got to share with them a church tour and give a sort of first lesson. 

There have been a few off things this week. It's strange when you go from a really good day to the next day and you want it to be just as good. I don't know. But I have been asking God a lot what he thinks of me. We have this activity that President Senior wants us to do. The Dan Jones-ing every day and its do-able. It is what we as missionaries do. But at our district meeting we talked about it and were just like, ok, how do we remember to talk to that person on the bus? or wherever. And I said. "No. I remember! I am just too scared to do it."

So then... ugh. I knew I would regret it...

but then I told them about my motivation cards. 

The ones that I can just pull out from my pockets and read it and I can just go and do.

They are like, church quotes. But Elder Delagarza said, "Oh, like 'you can do it!'" hahaha

it was way funny. But seriously. 

(I will finish in a bit. we didnt have time right now...)

17 June 2013

 This video was taken on the day they arrived in the mission field.

 got caught in the rain. got to dry off our feet!

 same skirt! TWINS!

"Let's all do the Sister Mullen head tilt"

17 June 2013

Sister Rachel Mullen This week, we had Zone Conference. My first Zone Conference and it was so wonderful. We got taught on Desire and Diligence. Before the conference they asked us all to not plan for the following day any appointments. Then they made the announcement in conference what we would be doing. All over Bangkok, we were to go out Dan Jones-ing. Dan Jones is one of the great missionaries. And basically this activity was for us to stop hiding behind our "Free English" fliers and start handing out and testifying of Christ. One of the missionaries leaving next transfer bore his testimony on it. He was one of the first Elders in Laos and his testimony was so powerful. He talked about how in Laos they cannot go up to people and share of Christ. They could look at somebody who truly needed the Gospel and only say, "free english"... All of conference really helped me evaluate what kind of missionary I want to become. I didn't come to be adequate. Missionaries for this true church need to be astonishing and we can do that if we put forth righteous efforts to allow God to help us reach our full potential. So this whole day of talking to everyone doing the Dan Jones Activity was amazing! Some people are afraid of being rejected. I am just scared of the first initial going up to them. We were on companion exchanges that day so I was with the CUTEST Thai girl missionary. I went to Bangnaa and she told me at the end of the day, she knew how I felt about confidence and how I wanted it, but she said as she watched me go up to people, she could see me counting in my head... 1-2-3 and then just going up to them. She said she really liked that haha!!!  I went up to one lady who was WAY not interested. She was sitting down so she couldn't say no when I asked if I could share of Christ. So I did. I just did not stop talking even though she was like looking other places. Haha. Then she said, I'm Thai. I was like. Yeah. Are you Buddhist too? Haha There are Christian Thai people. Anyways, I gave her a picture of Christ. One TALL man I went up to, I was like, can I share with you a message about Jesus Christ. and then he started walking away from me! And was like, I don't understand you. I was like, I'M SPEAKING THAI! and I just asked him again. to where he couldn't leave. I bore testimony that Jesus is our Savior and all of that. And he would pull out the Buddhist card, and say... yeah all churches teach people to be good. I straight up asked him, Don't you think there is only one way though? He couldn't say no. So I told him where the church was... etc. Seriously, amazing experience being challenged to do this activity and to reflect on what kind of missionary I came here to be. Also, remember how I told you about my lost cardigan in all the moving? I Found it! The one with the brown elbow pads!!! God loves His missionaries!!!  Love, Sister Mullen

Sister Jasmine Mullen Hello from Hartsville, South Carolina! I love it here so much. Its been a crazy week. I can't believe I've only been here for that long. But I am loving it here. I thought it was going to be scary but I've met so many nice people. I guess it is the bible belt but people would say that like its a negative thing, its a GREAT THING. Everyone already knows about Christ and has such a strong testimony so all we have to do is show them the fullness of it. It was kind of scary at first because the people we taught had such strong faith, faith that I could only dream of having and I didn't know how I should teach them because I was learning from them haha. I was never meant to be a teacher but the Holy Ghost is THE BEST. seriously. anyway yeah I sweat a lot. no surprise. my face is oily though which is gross. if you could send me some oil soaker upper things that would be great! they're kind of hard to find and I don't think they sell them here because no one really cares. haha everyone seriously pretty much just walk around naked when it's hot. I don't blame them I guess. Well I've gotten like 10 comments so far on my ethnicity. It's a good way to get in doors though. because they see my companions Sister Mchaley and Sister Makin and then there's me. So they're all super confused and stare at me for a while then muster up the courage to ask what I am. It's pretty funny. Oh funny story so their accents are pretty hard to understand sometimes. and when we were street contacting someone I asked him his name and it sounded like he said Eric Schmif and I've heard some pretty weird names so I wasn't going to judge and so I repeated back Schmif? and he started laughing so hard and was like what did you say?? no its Smith! haha it was funny.  yeah black people here are SO nice. man always open to more doctrine and more learning about their Savior. I've only met a few white people. This old man told me that I was worse than Jehovah Witness. Not sure what that was supposed to mean but yeah. We've got a baptism Wednesday and next Saturday and a few more on date. It's so exciting! and way easier than I thought! people just know the truth when they hear it though I guess.  I'll try and send pictures next week but I love it here! I saw Sister Howten! She's known as a rock solid missionary here. already a wonderful trainer. Bishop Potts would love to hear that about her. My mission President scared me a little at first but he let us take a nap when we got off the plane! It was wonderful.  I pray for y'all every night. (don't worry I don't have an accent yet just being funny) I love you . Romans 1:16 Sister Mullen #2

10 June 2013

Ah, I am trying to remember all that has happened. LAST monday, We got a call from the AP's and they told us we were moving! So Sister Davies went home because she was too sick :( She was the Sister that took my spot with Sister Yeo in Bangkapi. So then President Senior was going to have Sister Yeo move to another place in Bangkok, but then after several phone calls and thinking it over, President asked Sister Yeo what she wanted to do. She said, she wants to stay in Bangkapi of course. And then he asked her this, and I'm pretty sure this NEVER happens to a missionary ever...

Who do you want to come to you?

She said her child, and so here I am! She picked me up in the Isan and we left and just talked and slept on a bus for 8 hours. And of course it wasn't a surprise for the members because we've got some poor secret keepers. Seriously, facebook is their element. Haha But some didn't know and it was SO wonderful coming back. A lot of people are like, Now we have someone to play the piano!!! haha... ok ok. I'm a missionary too. haha

I Will miss it in Korat though. We had 2 daters. One was getting over smoking and her daughter, I was starting to teach her the piano, and I just got up and left. And I was playing piano for the musical number for another baptism for a member's daughter later on that week. I feel so bad, but the Elders there are great and I know it will All be taken care of there in Korat. Maybe I will be able to go back someday.

So Bangkapi. Man oh man. It has been so wonderful to be back. It has LITERALLY been only 4 days, but it feels like it has been long/short. Idk.

We had a Way fun activity for the youth. We were companions with a member and just went out for 3 hours and showed them what missionaries did. They are such a strength to the ward and it is SO important we continue to support them. 

This week, we had to talk to our dater about keeping the sabbath day holy because she works on Sunday and we had her date for 2 weeks from yesterday! But OH my goodness, we talk to her about it and she is like, yeah. I have plans to stop work in a week or two.

Um, I'm sorry WHAT?! 

There's no doubt in my mind this is the Lord's work. And just as I told my cute little young women's companion during that activity, We don't need to have confidence in ourselves. That's irrelevant. Having confidence in the Lord is what gets us through. And once we do that, we are blessed with confidence.

That day that I was picked up to go back to Bangkapi, I got all of those letters that were sent after Jasmine's open house. Thank you thank you! It really made my day! I was definitely the most popular one of the week :)

Love, Sister Mullen

6 June 2013

Jasmine is awaiting her visa for Australia.  While she waits, she will be serving in South Carolina!

6 June 2013

No letter yet, but she sent pictures this morning. 

1 June 2013

So supposedly they are starting this thing where every week there is a day the junior becomes the senior companion. It was a great opportunity. I led the Plan of Salvation lesson which was hard, but I learned what I need to work on. So we bike a lot here. It's hard too when it's rainy season because the wind is HORRENDOUS! but ahh!!! We got caught in the rain!!! WAY fun. FINALLY right?! We did this English thing this last week where we went to Wang Nam Quiew and trained Thai Teachers teaching English. I am English leader here in Korat so that means I am in charge of like, the English classes here. I like, made up a whole lesson plan on how to teach. I gave them the 3 P's: Preparation, Participation, and Power! Haha, they seemed to like it. It was so awkward though because after, we definitely took the time to explain what we do as missionaries. And as Elder Wilamat was testifying and stuff, the lady in charge slowly walked up and got another microphone and started talking haha! SO awkward. Anyways, I am SUPER into coconut nampans. Ahhh so good. buy it everyday if i can. Language is coming along. There's definitely a need for a language study plan still even though it's Thai all the time right now. I just still get frustrated when I can't express what I want to express. But sometimes even, when we are teaching and someone asks a question. I pray and think of it in my head, but then my companion says it in perfect Thai. It's pretty cool. haha But yeah, there are definitely good and bad days, but overall... slowly improving. It's discouraging sometimes when people compliment on my language though all the time. I know I'm not like, seeking for compliments, but I just hope I am doing the missionary stuff up to par too, you know? But I rarely get discouraged because everyone here is wonderful and offers great advice. We have Zone Conference this week. Got to quickly finish off my memorizations. President Senior is going to be calling at random! D&C 4, our purpose and the 10 juts of how to begin teaching! It is definitely crazy thinking about already being on my second transfer. and just a month left with this one. its crazy. But an organized focused plan everyday is SO important. I can't imagine a day now where I don't have something planned for everything, everyday. This time that God gives us is so special, and to show him we respect and appreciate this time to serve, planning goes hand in hand. While in the MTC I've never really thought much about the Plan of Salvation lesson and always thought it was kind of random. I just thought teaching about the Spirit World and all that would confuse and weird an investigator out. but learning the importance of these things has been the blessing. We are here for a purpose. Everyone. not just missionaries on their missions. Do all your work with diligence. Because God did not design us to be slothful or lazy. I am so grateful for this opportunity to be a missionary and learn ALL of these things about my purpose on this mission and in life. It's more and more wonderful everyday. Sister Mullen

26 May 2013

yes BIG NEWS! I got transferred. It NEVER happens to greenies. For Sisters especially, we stay with our "moms"/ trainers for all of training. So we had transfers weird this time around. But the apostle came on a Saturday. We had transfers then. So only our district leader was being moved and we got another District Leader. Then on Wednesday we had District Meeting and on the board was written a blank line... "is moving to Korat on Friday." It was crazy! So we sang God Be With You Til We Meet Again before finding out. Said our predictions of who was going. And then he wrote Sister on the board. Then Mullen. Ah, my heart dropped. It was SO unexpected. Just kind of in a daze and can't remember much. That night when other members found out, Sister Eye was like, I'm going to church in Korat on Sunday then so I can see you. She was just baptized this last Sunday, so we were like, ummm Yeah. you Definitely need to stay in Bangkapi. You need to get the Holy Ghost and be confirmed! Hahaha! She's like, ok then. next next week. hahahaha But then on Thursday, we went to a member's noodle place. Ate lunch with Sister Yuu. She was like, Just you wait Sister Mullen, you're going to get more beautiful because you'll get skinnier in Korat because it is so hot. Hahaha, isn't she sweet. but WHILE we were eating, the AP called and asked if we were on our way. Supposedly I was moving THURSDAY! we rushed back home, I packed in 30 minutes (some of my clothes still wet! :(...) and then rushed to Asoke. Some members went all the way to Asoke to say goodbye to me and it was SO sweet! We were planning on having ice cream with them that night, but I would be on a bus to Korat so that didn't happen. I am so grateful for this exciting time in my mission. It's sad I didn't say my goodbyes or anything like that. It was a bit of a rushed thing, but it's exciting and making the experience worthwhile. I now have a Thai companion. For reals now. This one is actually Thai. She is adorable. I can't even handle it. And I have a Thai district leader. So right now, it's all thai. It's a new learning experience, I don't really know how to learn this way. But we'll see. its only the beginning. Sister Mullen