31 March 2014

Sister Rachel Mullen Let's just start off by saying we have the 2 best investigators in the whole entire world. I've never been so happy teaching anyone. They are so excited to be baptized and they are just 18 and 19 years old. It amazes me everyday. These kids in their youth, concerned about their salvation? It's unreal. They are reading way good in The Book of Mormon and love learning more. We started a kind of diet. It's been going ok. Not too hard. Until I want a coconut drink thing. MMM they're so good. We were teaching a lesson this passed week and there was a mouse in the church. AHHH. but no mouse can kill the spirit. It didn't even phase me. Boom. We had switch offs this passed week too. Together we got 21 numbers! It was crazy. I got 6 numbers. and with all four of us we got 21. it was sooo cool. Some of the college girls are going home because the term is over, so we taught them for the last time this passed week. They had some last minute questions. In Chiang Mai I guess patriarchal blessings were introduced to them. I think they may have misunderstood, but it was so cute. They asked if I had mine and then asked me, so who does it say you are going to marry? Haha We explained to them it's not like that, more like a guide to help you prepare for that one, but it was SO cute. I'm going to miss them. The Elders investigators were being interviewed Thursday night so it was up to us to do scripture class. Not many came, just 3 members and our 2 investigators, and it was the FUNNEST time ever. We read about the Liahona and about Nephi breaking his bow and how we should do things with faith and diligence. We gave them a few different tasks to do, to test them. One of our investigators was still working on it when we were moving on. Someone was like, he's not a Nephi, he's a Sam. Haha, sounds harsh, but it was funny. We explained faith and diligence is not immediate success, but patience til the end. They were all Nephis. :) After that, we had about an hour left so we just went inviting... and the members and our investigators came and invited with us!!! Why are they so awesome?! Oh did I tell you they changed the music policy at Zone Conference? It's not just MoTab that we can listen to, but any hymns are fine. As long as there are no drums or electric guitars. HUGE news. It's way awesome too that they didn't say anything about electric bagpipes. We've got some awesome music over here. haha There is a talk about being a consecrated missionary and about having the constant companionship of the holy ghost. It is a challenge to do a 40 day fast. You begin with a fast and write down all the things that come into your mind or that make you think of things other than the work. And then you are to fast from those things. I wanted to do this personally, so I started this last weekend. It's so strange, because I know I wasn't thinking about these things as much as I am, but I am totally thinking about them more because I know I'm not supposed to think about them. Repentance, it's hard, but its possible, and I know the change is what is what I want in the end and that's all that matters. Our goal for the month of April... a baptism every weekend. This is for our companionship. Yeah. Faith baby, faith. Sister Mullen #1

Sister Jasmine Mullen WELLP. Hopefully my email can lift your spirits. I know how you feel though. Man i cannot even imagine how you felt as Bishop. Thanks for always being patient with me. Haha i just think of the videos when i was little on the camera...always doing something obnoxious for just a little too long and you'd be like OKAY ENOUGH. haha Taught me to be a semi normal human being. I would like to start off by saying I know that tender mercies are available to all those who have faith in the Lord. SERIOUSLY. What the heck. God knows me so well and loves me so much. I just laugh some times at how small I am but how important He makes me feel. Elder Kahi says hello. And elder smith. (my zone leaders) This week has just been full of tender mercies. Sister Lindha, my new companion is one of them. She reminds me of mommy. She's from Indonesia and is about the most humble person I've ever come across. She is laughing all the time and has a positive outlook on life. She says she's sad on the inside sometimes but she never shows it! I've learned more from her in the past 6 days than any other of my companions. She's full of love. We have had so many miracles this week and our zone leaders asked us how we just skyrocketed this week. The answer is love. Sister Lindha by her example has taught me how to love better and more fully. It changes our work, and increases our faith. My other comp Sister Tempany told me in comp inventory this past week that I've improved in my ability to show charity and be happy all the time. So she said whatever I've done, to keep doing it. So sister lindha has been such a blessing. And I'm really grateful for the increased spirit I feel and for the increased love i feel for my companions. Its not like super easy yet, and i still make mistakes and say mean things sometimes but i'm learning! I read the Other Prodigal talk by Elder Holland the other day. I am now determined to come home as that son. Not one who ever really strayed off the path but one who is able to overcome those destructive feelings that can claim our happiness. It was really inspiring and i know the Lord can help us all to overcome those feelings. But yeah this week went by crazy fast. Being in a three way we are able to get so much done. Sister Lindha is a saint. We're running around like chickens with our head cut off and she is so patient and calm. She's learning the area slowly though. I was able to see sister tobiassen this week because we were supposed to go to the temple with James, but then while we were in the tunnel going towards the temple sister wulf called us to tell us the trip was cancelled because of the rain. So we ended up just spending time in the car talking haha. It was a tender mercy to be able to just talk with her. i miss her a lot. This week has never felt more like a battle against the adversary. He's working really hard on both Maria, Martin and Abi. All of them are going through very hard things. But I know that light always overcomes the darkness. To quote President Uchtdorf, the hope of God's light is real. And no matter what the adversary is trying to tell us, we are always good enough and we can always win. He's already lost. Another crazy tender mercy is that the Edmonds came to visit me at church on Sunday. I was having a really hard time with my companion and I wanted to keep loving her, so i swallowed my pride and stuck it out and then when I felt so tired, there they were and I just cried. It was so great though. So the guy we taught last week, his name isn't Flawn or Fawn its Vaun haha. But he's asked us to be baptized on April 22nd. So yeah. "That was easy". Seriously the more the work is hastening, the less complicated it gets. You just go out and work with your heart and the Lord will provide the blessings. Its funny how simple the gospel is and how often we have to be reminded of that. Something really cool I learned this week besides Love. Is that just like the Christ like attribute of faith is a seed. So is every other Christ like attribute. Often I hear myself or others say, "i have no patience, or my hope is gone". Thats Satan trying to tell us we are bound to these destructive behaviors. We're not. We all are born with seeds of hope, charity, patience, etc. So we have to nourish them and help them to grow. Thats all i love you! sister mullen