| Sister Rachel Mullen What a week. I'm just going to list off some things that happened:
One of our investigators passed his interview, but is now not able to get baptized until the 3rd of next month
We taught one of our RC's daughters who is 40+ and SHE wants to be baptized!
The next day when we went to go teach our RC, he was not into it. He assumes she can't make the commitment, it was REALLY sad.
He is also talking about how he doesn't want to learn in 3rd hour because it is boring. I asked if maybe HE'd want to teach it. Sassy? He said no.
Us 20 year olds, telling grown men to go to church. And then it just confirms it all, that it is OUR responsibility to stay active, to learn. If we think that we're done, we're not going to be ready. He still has a LOT to learn, and it needs to start with his attitude towards his daughter who could join him in the church and essentially the kingdom of God. It has NOTHING to do with how skilled the teacher may or may not be. It is our decision to participate and allow the Spirit to teach us.
Ah, sorry. I'll stop.
Anyways, all in all. A HARD week, but we were blessed with great work. Lots of teaching and great lessons where the spirit was felt. But in the end, MANY did not show up for church. The Saturday before, we had 2 daters (including the one who passed his interview) drop us, when we thought they were pretty solid. All these trials but we do a PRETTY good job at hoping for the miracles the next day, and when all our others didn't show up, it was hard not to cry.
We aren't going to make the goal of 4 baptisms this month. That's the hard thing.
We went inviting and got a lot of numbers. Went back to the church to wait for an appointment and just talked. I'm so blessed to have this sister as my companion. We reevaluated the week and all that we did and saw how blessed we were for the amount of work that we had. No regrets and did all we could. All that God wants from us is the have hope for the future. It may not be the next day, or the next week, but I think that the miracles or the blessings that we are expecting sometimes do not come in the baptisms alone.
The kind of person we are becoming from this oppositions, these trials, is the ultimate goal. Perfection requires patience and as we just keep going, knowing that the Spirit has guided us, we will feel and Know we were successful.
Sister Mullen
| Sister Jasmine Mullen
hello! i'm alive. sorry i don't have much time to email now but i love you both so much. we're at our full day pday :) i'll update you next week.
im sorry this is not an email you guys deserve. but i love you heaps :)
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Friday, July 25, 2014
21 July 2014
14 July 2014
| Sister Rachel Mullen I don't know how much help I will be, I haven't really learned how to make Thai food here, just eat it. But I will help!
Sorry not too much time to write this week. Sister Speas and I both served in Phitsanulok so we are going there for Pday together! So excited I love spending time with her!
This week, wow. Seriously I think every night I reassured Sister Speas, "ok, TOMORROW is going to be the miracle day, TOMORROW is going to be way good." but there was SO much opposition.
Sometimes I just want to slap Satan in the face, but he doesn't have one because he doesnt have a body.
He's GOT to know he's not going to win. It's dumb.
Anyways, tons of things went wrong. So there was a Dairy Queen run almost everyday. I'm trying to not be a "trunky" missionary, or one that is super into going home early, so I feel like not trying to get skinny is the ultimate way to do that haha.
But Sundays are always miracle Sundays. We had 7 investigators at church! And two were our Recent Convert's family. We are teaching them on Tuesday! Also, Tamasan, a man that we've met with for about a month, he will be interviewed this week, he is SO good! God is good.
THEN............ yeah the week's not over...............
we were inviting in front of Big C, like we do EVERYDAY, and they have finally come up to us and said we can't do it anymore, at all. Way crazy. At first I thought it was Satan, trying to ruin everything like always. But now I think it's God. We have been getting investigators, but no real quality progressors, and so God is pulling us from Big C (where we think the biggest concentration of people are) to lead us towards the ready ones. With all the opposition and crazies this week, I'm just super excited for the miracles that are going to happen... TOMORROW haha.
Sister Mullen
| Sister Jasmine Mullen
Hello! Its been a crazy week. Like emotional roller coaster, but like always, everything is okay by the time its Monday.
We had this amazing mini missionary with us last week, Sister Fahina, She was the best. Such a confidence booster, she felt the spirit so much and it was great to see a change in her as we worked. She was so funny, I don't think I stopped laughing the whole week...EXCEPT for the day we all cried for like 3 hours. HAHA. Don't worry. It was just tears, and we're all over it now and we realized it was pretty silly. But our ZLs found out and now they are worried about us. haha. Pretty much, we went into this guy's house that couldn't really speak English and when we went back his son just started yelling at us and being so rude, so we left. I was pretty just frustrated. Our mini missionary kept crying and we tried to keep going, but as we went finding, EVERYONE was so rude. Like in the, "i'm disgusted with you" kind of way. Like I smelt like rubbish or something. And our ZLs called and when they asked if we were okay i just let the tears POUR haha. I felt really silly after wards. But it made me think more of the Savior and what He went through, everyday, and HE was the one who actually had the words of life! I haven't cried in a long time. It kinda felt good. I think I cried because Heavenly Father wanted me to know that He's still here and He can comfort me. It was a great learning experience.But then to top off the week. Sister Tautuiaki and I found out that we had to deal with some disobedience in our region. The APs called and told us that we needed to like be detectives or something to find out the real story. The worst part was, these sisters were my friends. I didn't know what to do. I cried all night but I prayed for comfort and as we drove to them the next day I felt such peace. And turns out it was all a huge misunderstanding, which I was so grateful for! YAY! But now i feel better prepared if I ever do have to deal with that again. <3 |
Sunday, July 13, 2014
7 July 2014
| Sister Rachel Mullen So this week got to do some sister training leader stuff. I know why I wasn't called to this before. It is HARD! We were barely in our area this week. We went to MLC (Missionary Leadership Council) in Bangkok on Wednesday, had training in Kphet then traveled to Chiang Mai to train the missionaries there. We are now to teach Lesson 5 (laws and ordinances) BEFORE baptism. So to go along with our 'quick' baptisms, there is going to be real growth as we focus their being baptized towards the temple. It's all so perfect.
I remember us all kneeling for family prayer and praying that Thailand will one day have a temple. I hope you can feel it coming soon! The inspired ways in which we are working is incredible, because I feel it SO CLOSE! I hope you recognize how close we are and how much God is with us.
This week, we had tons of people committed to church this Sunday. When we called them Sunday morning, they were no longer coming. If it were earlier in my mission, I would have been discouraged, and I was a little frustrated for a second there, but I actually knew that I had done everything I could that passed week, and those people that did not come, chose to use their agency in a way that I was disappointed, but not depressed. I have never felt more comfortable among so much "not making my goals" haha. Not only are those tangible things, like money and success, blessings from God... but the way He can change how I feel is the ULTIMATE blessing.
I have never felt more inadequate being among the leaders of the mission in Mission Leadership Council. I have struggled with self esteem and confidence in myself for who knows how long. I never feel like what I have to say is of worth. But God loves his missionaries, so he called President Senior who loves his missionaries just the same. His trust and faith in me, personally, has changed how I view myself. It's still ongoing, but there's hope for sure and I love that he helps me throw away any self doubt.
Sister Mullen
| Sister Jasmine Mullen
hello! It has been another fast week.
Thank you for the scriptures. Whenever I feel tired or down, I always remember what you said at my setting apart, that I was like Ammon, and I always try to live up to that.
It has been a WONDERFUL week. Full of miracles. I truly wish that I was better at writing because I wish i could describe to you the depth of the miracles and conversion I am able to witness.
We had trade offs this week. My first ones haha. It was fun, I was grateful to see that I could actually help. And this best thing is, I don't have to be better than the other sisters and I don't have to be more skilled. All i have to do is love them. I'm so grateful for the opportunity I have to grow my capacity to love others. It was instant with these sisters, they made it so easy. One of the trade offs was with my beloved companion sister hwang. :) I didn't actually go with her but I went with her companion, we stayed two days in their area since we had 2 sets of sisters to go with and they live 2 hours away. But it was fun seeing her and being with her.
This week our zone leaders, aps and district leader have really been challenging us to get member presents more. We try but Sister Tautuiaki and I are a bit picky. Yes there are people that will "come out with us" but we want to have prayerful fellowship. But yeah we tried our best to get 8 member presents, which was a bit tricky being out of our area for 3 days. But we got 7! It was great. Our district leader was so helpful because there are lots of young women in his ward that said they wanted to go out so we were able to go on splits! Oh yeah and its school holidays so we have a mini missionary. :) She's so fun.
I'm learning Tongan. I read the Tongan white hand book every morning instead of the english one.
Oh yeah but back to our hard yakka week. We had intense plans for the last 3 days of the week to make up for the days we had missed. And then of course i get sick. It was horrible, BUT I'm so grateful for my companion for just loving me and helping us get through the day. And we were able to finish with an amazing week. The area is progressing which is all i could ask for.
Its a bit interesting being in this area because its islander and I'm not reallly sure how i can contribute. But i'm doing my best to keep up and to understand what everyone is saying.
Bishop Nisa saw my hair this week and he thought i was a new sister. haha. The last pictures i sent are how short it is. So not too different. Just shorter.
Love you heaps. Thank you so much for all that you have been doing for me and for Rachel. I'm so grateful for you guys. You have no idea.
Love you.
Sister Mullen
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30 June 2014
| Sister Rachel Mullen sorry there will be no pictures this week. sister ellis is gone! :(
but i am still here in Kamphaengphet! We found out Monday night. I always ask the district leader to think of a clever way to tell us who is moving, so he did. It was perfect. He texted us and said, Is Sister Mullen staying? Is Sister Ellis moving? and then gave us a scripture in alma and it said, and he answered them yea. haha The members are sad to see Sister Ellis go. Their first Sister leaving.
I haven't been to a transfers in SO long so I was SUPER excited!!! We had to go do our visas for the time we have left. It was our whole big group though, so it was so fun to see them all at the office!
I got to see the Sister Peterson and Stevenson, the 2 sisters I trained who were companions together in Bangkapi! It was so sweet, they both ran up to me and hugged me. I miss them both!
So Sister Ellis and I changed President Senior's ringtone to be like, this eagle call or something. We are sitting there waiting for transfers to start and I hear an eagle.
Oh shoot.
I answer. He sounds surprised. I say, I'm sorry are you looking for Elder Delagarza? I promise we are switching phones today after transfers. Haha (They have switched our phones on the records the WHOLE transfer so we figured we are just going to switch phones for this next transfer)
I give the phone to ED. He's totally going Zone Leader I knew it.
Then he gave the phone back to me and it was President, he said he still wanted to talk to me. But then he hung up. Probably 10 minutes later Sister Senior grabs my arm and has me follow her. We come to a room and President is sitting there, with the 3 AP's around him and an extra chair. He's like, Hi! Sit.
He pretty much just asks me again if I wanted to stay in Kamphaengphet. I told him what I wanted but that, I didn't want to have to choose, I didn't want my desires to change or sway anything that is God's will.
But then he just kindly said, sometimes God gives us what we want. It's not always sacrifice but He will give us what we want. Then he said, if anything changed within the transfer or even after the mission, he would give me what I want. Of course, I DONT KNOW WHAT I WANT!!! haha But it was probably the most calm I've ever felt in talking to him. He just knows how to make his missionaries work hard. Because I know that he is giving me what I want, and God also, I want to do my VERY best.
Sister Ellis is going to Bangkae. Elder Delagarza is a Zone Leader now in Roi Et, with Elder Kelley!!! Our Kphet district leader before ED so now they can just talk about the good times in Kphet together! ED's last words to me, Go hard and don't get trunky or I'll find you. haha So cool A lot of Elders from my group are now Zone Leaders. It is SO cool.
Suki and I are staying in Kamphaengphet. Elder Wheeler, from my district in the MTC is our new district leader! Finally serving with one of my elders! This should be an interesting transfer. I am so excited also to have Sister Speas as my companion. She will help me stay calm and not flustered this last (year) of my mission ;)
I am now a Sister Training Leader here for the North. A lot of Sister Training Leaders are put together, but Sister McDermott is still in Chaing Mai, and me in the middle of nowhere, haha. We are over the Sisters in Chaing Rai and Lamphaang.
We got back at 3 am. We both woke up at 6:30, I wasn't sure if we could sleep in. So we started our work day. We had an apt at 9 anyways so we went to the church. He was an hour late, but thank goodness we waited. He was AWESOME! So willing to learn and accept a date to be baptized.
The Elders called and were surprised we were up and about. They said, take a nap! haha so we went back and took a quick nap. We went inviting in front of our lovely Big C and then later that night had an appointment with ANOTHER new investigator. He was full of awesomeness similar to the guy in the morning. Just miracles up the wazoo!
These two men did not come to church, however. Sad. We had 10 people committed to church, which is normally what we need to have in order for ANYONE to come to church and Sunday morning they all said they weren't coming anymore.
But then, God in all his miracles... people come.
This guy I contacted LAST Sunday, who said he can only meet on Sundays, brought his family to church. The night before he said he wasn't coming to church either, so I didn't even call him on Sunday to remind him. but HE CAME!
After church they said they are going to bring 4 people next week too!
we also had 34 people at church. WHAT?!
It was Sister Speas first sunday without AC. She did well though. Dotcom, Twan, and Brakong got confirmed and bore their testimonies. I'm just sitting at the piano watching and of course crying. These are future priesthood holders. All 3 of them.
I love this place, no AC an' all.
Sister Mullen
| Sister Jasmine Mullen
We received a text last night saying that instead of having a conference call tonight we would be having one this morning right before studies. So this morning we had a conference call and all of us were just waiting for the news. (backtrack) I went to my first leadership meeting this week. (I'll talk more about that later) but we found out that as of THAT day we went to having 115 baptisms to 107 to finish with. It was going to be close. So i had no idea if we were going to make it. It was exciting because our zone had each companionship baptize and we broke our record with 16 baptisms! Then this morning President announced that as of tonight we will finish with 105 :)
I honestly didn't know what to feel except gratitude. I'm so grateful that Heavenly Father saw fit to bless us with this miracle. Elder Hemula was on our call as well and he congratulated us and told us that now we KNOW what our msision is capable of and we can rise to new levels.Sister Mullen |
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