14 April 2014

Sister Rachel Mullen So life here is good. It's way cold outside. Like way cold. Ugh, not really. I keep saying that because I'm pretty sure all the heat I'm feeling is just mental. It can't ACTUALLY be this hot in one place. Songkran is today. Got my shirt on from last year and we are going to venture out to the river to play! Hopefully the Elders will protect us from crazies. They failed last night when we were in our room and a couple of weirdos knocked on our door and shot their nerf guns at us. Just kidding. It was the Elders. They had face masks on that Sister Ellis had bought for them. They are so weird. This week was wonderful. We went to Sukothai on Monday and met up with Plok! So fun. I've officially been there 3 times! WOOT! I just like singing on the bikes, I'm not really into ruins. Elder Kelley translated the hour long Joseph Smith movie. It was so good. You know Thai people and their attention span, but I think it was good for them to actually see his history and the persecution. Holy moly we watched conference. Is something crazy going to happen or what?! Stand strong as a disciple of Christ is what I got out of it. Woah. We got to teach James and Beau the day after they saw the movie. We review Lehi's Vision and they are awesome. I'm about to ask James to say the closing prayer and he decides to lead the lesson and asks me to. I say something about Joseph Smith and then amen. They just keep sitting there for a while and then James says, Joseph Smith sacrificed a lot for us to have all of this, huh? AHHHHHHHHHHHHH I thank Heavenly Father everyday to have been given the opportunity to teach them. We had to tell them they wouldn't get the Holy Ghost until the week after General Conference. They seemed sad about it. AH, I die. I also have a testimony of referrals. Awhile ago, we were inviting in neighborhoods and came across this man that was feeding his birds that he sells for Buddhism stuff. Ask him if he wants to be baptized, he points us inside to talk to his wife. We ask her, and she also says no. We ask if there is anyone else. Long story short, she gives us her daughter's phone number. She was out of town until last week. SHE called US and said... ok I'm getting into town tomorrow, can I meet with you then? Yeah. she's prepared. We met with her for the first time. Taught her all the commandments, and she wants to be baptized. Date for the 27th. Sister Ellis and I just look at each other. Missionary work is not supposed to be hard, or a matter of convincing. If you have invited someone to learn with the missionaries and they reject you. Don't give up. Keep praying for them. Have faith that they will change and open their hearts. But in hastening the work of salvation, keep moving and find the one that God has prepared. Once you find that person... you will know. Because it is simple, testimony bearing that influences them to make that conversion. Not a heated argument, or loads of persuasive debating. I was on the edge of my seat when M. Russell Ballard was following up on his commitment to us all. Did you do it? If not, do it. 4 times this year at least. I know I will be doing it and preparing to do it forever when I get back. I love you all, and I love this Gospel. so much. Remember what's most important. His work, just fyi ;) Love, Sister Mullen #

Sister Jasmine Mullen Happy New year! Last zone pday we had to do skits. And i hate skits so much but we did one about different cultures. And all i did the whole time was throw water at people. haha I'm really creative. The work is going great. Lillian is on a baptismal date for the 3rd of May! Ahh it was so exciting. She is seriously like those investigators in The District that are just sooo interested. And then at the end of the lesson we found out she was MARRIED! The spirit was so strong during the lesson and when we were about to leave i saw her wedding pictures. What a tender mercy. I would've stayed up all night wondering how we could bring it up with her. I was like "ohhh! is this your wedding?" She had no idea how much that meant to us. We ran out of there squealing and i did a few bell clicks. I dont know i just really felt like it. The joys of missionary work. Haha no eggs lately. But I can tell you that my attitude has gotten better and the strength to do that has come from general conference. All the messages just really proved to me, that the promptings on how I can improve are really from my Heavenly Father. I'm on the right track, so thats good. Now its just a matter of letting it change me. And i know that change takes time, but it does take effort. Experiencing a mighty change requires changing little things, OFTEN. Every day is a day to practice. I'm amazed that times when I get mad and used to be mad the entire day can leave my mind and heart so quickly now. My companions have helped me with that and of course most importantly, my Savior Jesus Christ. I love that this gospel demands so much of us. We wouldn't be able to follow Christ if it didn't. HOW INSPIRED WAS CONFERENCE. I love the urgency in each of their voices as they bore their testimonies. Robert D. Hales gave me chills when he said "be careful who you follow". It was soo GOOD! Oh and Sister Reeves talk, I love how she said that she knows it stresses sisters out when she tells them to do more, but she has an unwavering testimony of how the gospel can open up doors for us. I continue to hope and pray that I can grow a testimony that can stir someone's heart like she did to mine. My goal is to not care how upset, annoyed, or frustrated people get with me. I am going to be a missionary. I am going to do what God tells me and defend His gospel, I'll be "courteous and compassionate, but I'll defend it". I can't wait for the magazine to come out! Oh and it happened this week. I got engaged. hahaha. Yeah i felt like i was in fiddler on the roof. We are teaching a muslim family and she is really interested in the Book of Mormon but she's always showing us pictures of her sons haha. and then we met her son, and when we made a return appointment he said "next time i'll have a ring for you. I want to engage you." haha. it was so romantic so i'm really glad my heart is locked up that would've been hard. (sorry, i'm still working on my sarcasm.) :) Well other than that, the work is great. always improving, or at least trying, which is improvement haha :) I get to buy a new study journal today and pens! :) Randy's pens lasted me a while. I feel like its halloween haha. I'm not sure whats happening with mother's day yet. They'll probably tell us at transfer meeting. Hope you have a great week :) Thanks for always encouraging, inspiring and motivating me! :) Sister Mullen