Pictures

View from the Motorway

District at the MTC w/her Teacher

I love New Zealand!!

Oh my goodness, where to even start? (PS I'm pretty sure I say that every week). I can't believe I haven't even been here a week, but it's all good b/c I love it here! First off, the only limit about emailing is that it has to be family, we don't have a time limit and my comp made it sound like she usually goes for 1 1/2 hours or so, so feel free to email me! Thank goodness for email b/c, well it takes forever for mail to get to NZ from the states anyway, but since it's sent to the mission home and we live 3 hrs south of Auckland, we won't be getting mail much, prbobably only at transfers. Oh, and I LOVE my trainer, her name is Sis. Perry, she's from Freemont, CA, I am so excited I get to be with her for 3 months. I know she's going to help me out so much and I already love working with her. I had actually heard about her before I got here b/c she knew my friend Carly at BYU, small world!

 

So yeah, I am in Tauranga. We cover the Otumoetai ward and the Katikati branch. Katikati is about 30 min away which means we have a car, woot woot! We are so spoiled in this area, so it'll definitely be a wake up call when I leave. The sisters moved into a new flat the day before we came down here (apparently it was well known all over the mission how nasty the sisters's flat was in Tauranga) so it's nice an clean of mold and fleas (yeah, unfortunately fleas are a problem here...not looking forward to having to deal with fleas) and it's pretty big, we have a car, and compared to where my trainer has been previously (she said she's been in the ghetto of Auckland the whole time she's been out) this is a nicer part of NZ and the homes are pretty clean and the couches aren't scary to sit on, haha, so yeah, we're spoiled. It hasn't even rained since I've been here. So Tauranga is right on the coast, incase all of you didn't look up Tauranga on wikipedia like Kurt did (props to him for being the only to email me) it's right on the coast, which means it's extra beautiful. A lady I met at the temple told me that NZ looked like California, but sorry, that's a lie. It's way prettier! At least in my area. I can't get over how many trees there are and how big they are! I attached a pic, not that great. I was taking them in the car on our way to email and it wasn't sunny this morning. So I love being on the coast, but that means we'll probably be eating lots of seafood. Not so bueno. & the reason why everyone gains weight here is that they fill your plate for you and then expect you to eat everything. We've only eaten at one member's house, besides at Sis. Rudo's (I'll talk more about here later) and she did fill our plates and it was good, but the pork was so fatty and she gave us beets too and I was trying to finish those first so I could save teh good food for the end, but then I couldn't down the beets anymore. I didn't throw up, but I was gagging a little bit. The bad thing is I know I'll have beets again and I know the food is going to be a lot worse than beets. Especially from what my comp told me about the things she's had to eat. Ahh, pray for me that my tastebuds change! haha

 

So on to Sister Rudo, my goodness gracious, already one of my favortie people in the whole wide world! My comp had heard how wonderful she was, so we called her Thursday night when we got to Tauranga to see if she could help us out for dinner since we don't have any food in our flat, and she picked us up and took us to dinner at her house, and she dropped us off, she saw that the elders had left our fridge for us and we told her we'd be able to carry it in, but she said she wouldn't be able to sleep if she didnt' know we were okay and told us, "I'm really good a lifting!" So she helped us with the fridge. Oh, and she's prbly 80+ years old and honestly, reminds me a lot of you Granny! She was telling us how she works out everyday and she's perfectly capable of taking care of herself and loves helping others out, especially the sister missionaries. She told us she helps us b/c it blesses her, but she has been such a blessing to both of us! Since I didn't have any sheets, she lent me some, and a blanket and pillow, and then took us Saturday morning to go buy a pillow b/c she really likes the pillow she gave me and has been looking around for the best sheets and duvet at the best price, and she fed us saturday, too and yeah. She's amazing and I don't know where we'd be without her! She actually lived in Holland for a while, but I felt awful that I couldn't tell her where grandpa lived while he was there, so feel free to let me know! Any of you! But lots of other members have been so helpful to us as well, and I am so incredibly thankful for all of them!

 

So far here, we mostly just been trying to get things organized and figure out what's going on with all the investigators and figuring out where everything is. I'm getting lots of practice at being a navigator and reading a map. Oh, and the definitely lied to me saying that I'd be speaking English here. Okay, well I'm speaking English, but the names of people, streets and whatevs are not in English, and they didn't even help me figure out how to try to pronounce things! And it's so hard for me when we met people at church and they tell me their first or last name and I'm thinking, "did you really just say a word? b/c it sounded like a lot mumbling." haha, it's going to be a lot of work remembering the names of all the members in the ward. Oh, biggest news of yesterday was that I set our first investigator to be baptized in 2 weeks. Saturday was a little frustrating b/c we were having a hard time getting a hold of any of our investigators, or if we just showed up at their door, they didnt' really want to talk to us, and Saturday night we had been talking to this member in the Katikati branch, Ahokava, b/c the sister had been teaching his roommate, so we told Ahokava to come find us at church so we could meet him (we had Stake Conf). So he came and found us and said he came with his girlfriend, a non member, but she had been to church 3 weeks now, and she kept saying how everyone there seemed so happy, and she loves RS and it was even more exciting when she told us she went to church last week w/out Ahokava b/c she realized she didn't need him to go! So we called her last night and she was all for getting baptized and the Stake President also gave everyone a challenge to read teh Book of Mormon in 4 months and gave everyone a schedule of what to read everyday and she was all for it and ready to start yesterday! It was so exciting!

 

Oh, so the first picture is just of the view as you drive down the motorway, I think the 2nd pic is of my district the last day we were all together with one of our teachers, Bro. Larsen, and the last is of my comp at temple square. She's from Kiribati (pronounced Keerabus) and she was SO much fun and got me so excited to come to NZ. And something that I've been hearing about a lot lately is obedeince and how important it is, not just for me as a missionary, but all of us. We can only qualify for blessings and help from the Lord if we obey His commandments! Well this was an extra long email b/c I didn't have to take the time to read any, but feel free to write me next week! I love you all so much!

 

PS I blew up my straightener the first day here. I didn't even use it, haha, it blew up on the Tongan sister I stayed w/ for the first 2 days. Well she said it burned her hair, and then I looked at it and one of the plates is puffed up and yeah, not working anymore. And when I was using my blow dryer, the converter started smoking, but my blow dryer still works! haha, but I wouldn't be surprised if it quits working soon. I feel like such an ignorant American.

 

PPS They have all sorts of tim tams here! Ahh, it's heaven! I can't wait to buy some today, haha

Hello....From the Future

Kia Ora!

 

Guess what, I'm really here in New Zealand! My goodness. I still don't know if it's really hit me, but it definitely helps that everyone is driving on the wrong side of the road! It's going to take getting used to so I'm not always on the verge of telling them they're going around the round about the wrong way. 

 

Oh, Mom...send me my coat ASAP! It's pretty cold here. I'm fine in my hoodie, but a coat is way nicer and if I'm going to be outside a ton, a coat would be much appreciated. It might be colder today b/c it rained right before we got here, but I think it will be raining a lot. 

 

The flight actually wasn't that bad, I slept for a lot of it, but it still wasn't that great of sleep. The plane was HUGE, and I loved how all the flight attendants had accents. (Oh, & bless the elders I flew out with and their precious 19 year old souls. They asked how I knew how to find the gate once I got to the airport. Uhh...imagine that, they have signs and montiors telling me where Air New Zealand is like they knew I didn't know where to go! haha) 

 

I feel so lame here, I need an accent now! haha. So far, I LOVE my mission president and his wife, and like mom said, I love the way they talk too. They're from Perth, Australia, & the APs are from NZ (he moved to UT when he was young) & the other is from Australia, hence I'm surrounded my accents. 

 

There was another sister who came from the NZ MTC. She's from Tonga and speaking tongan and so precious, and super touchy and keeps linkng arms with me. You won't believe me, but it's not bothering me. I won't meet my trainer til tomorrow (we're just going orientation today and they're letting us go to a motel to sleep and shower & then we'll come back for more orientation and dinner), Oh, & if Carly reads this (my friend from BYU) it's Sis. Perry. I'll be in the Taraunga zone, I think, I was kind of confused looking at the magical board of all the companionships, but I just know it's south and in the country. I'm excited! & I have a car, woot woot! Oh, & my mission pres didn't know I'm a VC sister, & they lost 5 VC sisters last week, so I'm hoping I'll go to the VC after I'm done training, which will be November and I'll be there for Christmas! & we had to go "preach by the way" just walk around the block the mission home is on and try to talk to people, & it hit me that I"m really here to talk to ppl about the gospel! I was saying how I didn't know what to say & Sis. Lakai (the tongan sister) was telling me, "just start talking to them, ask them questions to get to know them and then share your testimony." As simple as that! I can already tell the faith that polynesians have! 

 

Well p-days are on Monday, so Sundays for you. I'll email you then. Don't forget to send my coat mom... & a scarf might not hurt! I love all of you so much!

 

-Sis Mullen

Quickie

Well this will be short. VC Traning is going good. I can already tell I'll grow so much by being in the VC. I mean I'm going to have to make the intiative to talk to every single person who walks in! We had a little practice yesterday, & I was way nervous, but after we started, I realized it wasn't that bad, and realized how much I was smiling. The church really does make me so happy and I am so thankful to be able to share my testimony! 

 

So there's another sister going to Oakland w/ S. Robbins, but she's from Mexico, so her English isn't that great. So we're kind of in a trio, so it's been an adjustment and a little hard, espcially since she doens't live on our floor, so it's hard planning things and finding her, but she's sooo sweet and so nice. She was laughing pretty hard at me the other day when we were in the cafeteria and I was laughing loud and semi-obnoxiously (obviously fake) & this table of elders kept looking at me. I don't know if it's goood or bad that she's laughing at me so much when she doesnt' speak English that well, haha. 

 

Like I wrote in my journal last night: I'm stoked to be going to a VC, I'm stoked to be going to NZ, I'm stoked about the gospel...life is great. I've never felt my Savior's love so strong or been so happy before! I definitely know this is where I need to be right now! I love you guys so much! Jenn, your family is constanatly in my prayers. I hope everything works out alright! Love you! Write you another email when I get to NZ! :) Ahhh, it's really happening!

Partyin', Partyin', Yeah

Okay, so maybe we don't party in the MTC.

Where to even start about this past week?? First off: I FINALLY got my flight plans yesterday. So 3 of my roommates got theirs Thurs, like you're supposed to, my comp got hers Friday. I talked to my teacher Sat and he said to go talk to the travel office, but they're not open Sunday, so I went Monday morning & they said they had been recorded as printed and I should have gotten them and it was weird, and I think it just goes to show that Heavenly Father does have a sense of humor. I've been working on having more patience this past week, primarily with the elders in my district (I love them, but they're still 19 and bother me sometimes) and with myself to just know that I'm not going to be this awesome teacher after a week, so I really do think He was trying to be funny since I was so excited to finally get my flight plans, so then I was freaking out that there was something wrong with my visa and that this really was a joke and I’m not going to NZ, but I really am! And I'm so excited! Turns out I'm not flying by myself, there's 6 total, so prbly 5 elders... oh joy! haha. We have a lovely 6 hr layover in LA and then a 14 hr flight to NZ...my goodness, help me! I have this fear that I'll have to go to the restroom super bad, but I'll be by the window and the 2 other ppl on my aisle will be asleep, haha. 14 hrs, I can't even comprehend how long and miserable that's going to be. & then I get to NZ at 5:30 in the morning, so it'll be a nice and long day when I get there. So this time next week I'll only be a few hrs away from NZ! (they are 18 hrs ahead of EP).

So the elders in my district left this morning and it's just weird not seeing them. We all really did become such good friends, they love me and were constantly taking pictures with me, haha, jk jk, okay, so maybe they did take a lot of pics of/with me, but I'm not proud! hahaha, Anywho. I totally felt like it was EFY b/c we haven't known each other that long, but we're all "besties" now (kinda) and we're all going our separate ways now. I know they'll do great, they were such a good example to me of working hard and staying focused. we had district inventory last Saturday, and we really didn't have anything to complain about each other, which is awesome. I see other districts and I realize how blessed I was to be in my district. Okay, so maybe the main complaint was that ppl were farting too much in class (I don’t know how I missed it, I never even smelled anything) but two elders wanted everyone to raise their hand and admit it was them, or at least announce why they were leaving the class room. "you just gotta own up to it!" my goodness, boys will be boys!

So our VC training starts tmrrw and we're hoping it's only us 5 sisters from our zone b/c we're all such good friends. I'm excited! Even though its really only 2 days of training b/c we have p-day on Friday again (I get to email again!) & word on the streets are that some awesome sisters will be giving tours at Temple Square Saturday evening if you're in the neighborhood.

OH, so we played Jeopardy with one of our teachers on Saturday & the topics were PMG, the fundamentals (the new curriculum, we're supposed to use the fundamentals in every lesson. The 8 are: we invite, they commit, we follow up, 2) revelation thru the BofM, 3) Rev thru prayer, 4) rev thru Church attendance, 5) Role of the Holy Ghost in conversion, 6) how to begin teaching, 7) teach ppl not lessons, 8) ahhh, what is it? oh, Our purpose=the doctrine of Christ: faith, repentance, baptism, HG, and ETTE), BofM and the Handbook. Thankfully my comp and I read half of the handbook right before we played so we dominated those questions. It ended up being a tie, how convenient, ha ha, but it was still awesome to play. I haven't gotten an adrenaline rush in so long! & It was fun to see how much we had learned in the past 2 1/2 weeks.

So more about the fundamentals, I have developed such a strong testimony that if we use these fundamentals in a lesson, that it really brings the Spirit and helps us teach better. After we went over the last one in class, our teacher wanted us to make a lesson plan and write down where we would use each fundamental. We were teaching our "investigator' in 20 min, so we didn't have much time, but we realized we were already using the fundamentals. & in the middle of teaching that lesson I felt so confident (which was great since Monday last Monday was not a confident booster as I explained). I know that if we try to use these fundamentals that the Spirit really will help us!

I can't even pick one chapter of the Book of Mormon that I read this week that I loved. So the last one I read was Alma 32 about Faith. & I loved it. I'm also definitely reading all the missionary stories with a completely diff perspective now and seeing the blessings that are waiting for me if I try my hardest as a missionary. I love reading about Ammon.

Funny story: so we had "in field training' last Friday since our elders were leaving. And there are prbly like 400 of us in this big room and the teacher asked a question, and the kid before me said what I was going to answer, so I just said "he stole the words right out of my mouth" & the teacher said "that's not sanitary" & for some reason I thought it was really funny and laughed really loud and EVERYONE heard me and EVERYONE was turning around to see the crazy sister that was laughing, & the teacher then said into his mic "it wasn't that funny." my goodness, I wanted to say "have you never heard someone laugh before??" & I then I was just laughing b/c I wasn't really laughing at anything, & there as this group of Japanese eldesrs who don’t speak English on our row and they were all starring at me for quite some time while I was laughing, I’m sure thinking, "That sister is crazy!" Yeah, I laugh, so what! haha

Well time is up, but I get to email Friday too! Love you guys! OH, since Megan is fired and didn't send me the address to my mission home last week, would anyone be so kind and send that to me? Thanks!

Oh hayy!

Okay, so let's just put it out there, I will not be coming up with very creative titles for my emails each week.

Wow, I can't believe I’ve been here almost 2 weeks! This past Sunday, I was thinking how Sunday came so fast, but right now, I feel like it's been forever since I could email you guys. This week wasn't as fabulous as my first week, but it was still good. I still love my district, my companion, and all my roommates. But yesterday was just an off day, & apparently it was for my whole district. We had class last night at 5:15, & we were role playing & eventually our teacher just stopped us all & said that we all seem dead and we all got talking and seemed like we were all distracted, or like Sis Robbins & I are feeling sick and just wanted to sleep. But our teacher definitely put things into perspective and said how we can't have an "off day" ever 19 days, b/c that would add up to a month. & that made me feel awful and I have realized how hard this is going to be and how much help I need from the Spirit. I don’t think I realized until yesterday how much help I really have been getting from the Spirit. So yesterday was a wake up call, & our whole district agreed to help each other work extra hard this week. All the elders got their flight plans last week b/c they're leaving next Monday & it made me really sad that we're not all going to the same place. We have all become such good friends and I have learned so much from each one of them, I don't want them to leave! I can't believe I only have one more week of class, I was getting quite overwhelmed with everything they're teaching us to incorporate into our lessons to be more effective, and I have so much to work on and I'm not ready to go teach real investigators just yet!!

But anywho, on to the good stuff about last week. Saturday night we had class on recognizing the Spirit and it was just what I needed. I'm so thankful for my teachers and the Spirit they bring to our lessons. Sunday was amazing. We had mission conference b/c it was fast Sunday, so we heard from the MTC presidency, and then we had Testimony meeting in Sacrament Meeting and the Spirit was so strong. Everyone's testimony was so powerful. I felt at the beginning that I just needed to sit back and listen, but 10 min before it was over, my heart started POUNDING and I felt like my chest was going to explode. I can't pin point exactly how the Spirit talks to me in every situation, but I do know when my heart starts beating hard, I need to get up and bear my testimony. Despite the fact that my Bishop last year always told us that if the Spirit is prompting us to get up, He's telling us at the beginning at not 5 min before the end, but I really didn't feel it til then. As I bore my testimony, I felt my Savior's love so strongly for me and for everyone and I know that he knows us all by name and loves us so much more than we can comprehend.

Some funny stories: one time my teacher asked my comp  where I was & she said, "she's in the next room, I can hear her." & he said, "that's impressive that you guys have that bond that you can hear her voice." & she said, "no, she just has a really loud voice." haha, whoops! So my teacher who went to NZ, long story short, his mom met L. Tom Perry in a dr's office and she said she had a son in NZ, & Elder Perry said, "we were all talking about that & we decided that's not a mission...it's a tropical vacation!" Ha ha, I'm so excited, & hearing stories from my teacher is definitely getting me more excited. Even though I'm pretty sure I'm flying out there by myself. I'll find out this week, but I still haven't met anyone going to Auckland.

So the chapter I came across in the Book of Mormon this week that I loved was Mosiah 2. I love reading the chapters from King Benjamin! I've heard the verse all the time talking about how if we serve the Lord with all our might, we would still be unprofitable servants because has given us so much and continues to give us so much every day, including our daily breath and the opportunity to live a new day & that really hit me. We are so indebted to the Lord, but He loves us so much and made it easy on us and all he asks of us is to keep his commandments. Which takes me to v. 41. Definitely one of my favorite verses in the whole Book of Mormon, we will be happy if we keep the commandments!

Even though I'm starting to realize how hard this will be, I am so still so incredibly thankful and happy to be here. My testimony has grown so much and I feel my Savior's love so strong in my life. My testimony grows each time I'm teaching a new lessons and vocalizing what I know to be true. I know Jesus Christ lives and loves us so much!

Love you all! 2 weeks from now I'll be on a plane to NZ...crizazyy!!

I'm Alive!!!

Ahh, FINALLY I can email you guys! I've already decided that a short email once a week is not nearly enough time to tell you about all the amazing exeperiences I'm having here.

First things first: My comp is absolutely amazing!! She was acutally on the same row as me, but across the aisle, on our flight from Phoenix. I didn't talk to her at the airport (she said I looked like a missionary, but I was usingm y phone, so she was super confused, haha) but then I walked into class & we both said, "she was on my plane." Thankfully it didn't take long for us to figure out that we would be besties. I'm confident in saying there is not another sister at the MTC I would be more happy with. I was also thinking that it kinda sucks that I started off with such an awesome comp I get along with so well b/c how on earth am I supposed to go up from here? We laugh...a lot. We were practicing teaching some random elders we saw yesterday & afterwards they said, "we've never seen 2 sisters as happy as you two!" haha, but I have so much to learn from here. 

At first I was kinda freaking out b/c I have no idea how I am supposed to teach ppl, but she's so confident and always knows what to say, & now that I'm "senior" comp, she always makes me start the lessons, which is good, b/c I definitely need the practice! & we have the same opinions about our goofy elders in our district. Oh, so my comp, Sis. Robbins, is going to the Oakland/San Fran mish, & she's a VC sister too, all the guys in my district are going to Alabama or Jacksonville, FL. I finally met an elder going to Auckland b/c I saw a guy who teaches here & he was in my ward last year, so he got on the comp & looked up the elder he taught (this elder has been here longer for visa/health problems I think) & told me his name was Elder Florence, & then I saw an Elder Florence in the cafeteria, so I just asked him if he was going to Auckland even though I felt like a creeper, haha. I'm thinking maybe if more elders are going with me, they'll get here next week since I'll be here an extra week for VC training. & the sisters in my room/branch/zone, 3 are going to Rochester, NY VC & one is going to Alabama. They're fun roomies, but not as fun as Sister Robbins. 

Also, one of my teachers was in my ward last year, kinda funny, and my other teacher actually just got back from Auckland on his mission. & he keeps scaring me about getting fat!! I was thinking how he looks pretty skinny & so it looks like he didn't gain weight, but I guess he's been back for a while b/c he told me he gained almost 100 lbs!! No bueno! Especially since he prbly weighs like 130 now, haha. He said tracting in South Auckland is: knock on the door, have them feed you a meal, then they'll tell you they don't want to hear the gospel, knock on the next door, eat a meal, have them reject you. 

So the elders in my district are...well, they're typical 19 year olds, but I really have come to love them over the last couple of days & they're crizazy quirks and habits. They're quite amusing, & most of em love us & are taking pics of us all the time, but there is one who asked why we're studying PMG if we're VC Sisters & then said maybe proseyting missions are too hard for sisters & my comp & I almost lost it, but we're trying to be nice to him, learning to just deal with his...attitude, haha.

Nuff about everyone else, I am so happy to be here! I was freaking out the morning I left (just ask mom & dad) But the second I got here, I felt so much more calm. I have learned SO much in the last week. I am just learning to rely so much more on the Spirit, praying like crazy, & slowly getting more confident. Teaching one of our "investigators" yesterday, I caught myself smiling b/c talking about the gospel just makes me so happy. I feel like I wasn't even reading the same Book of Mormon before I got here b/c there is so much amazing stuff in it, even in 1 Nephi 1, that I never noticed. I'm having a hard time deciding what chapter I wanted you guys to read....but I think I'm going to go with 1 Nephi 10. It's Lehi (I think) testifying of Christ and I thought it was so good!

PMG is awesome too, I wish I had read it some more before I got here, but it's all good b/c I have plenty of time to study it here! Well, I should prbly go, but just wanted to let you all know I have never been happier in my life. It is so fulfilling studying the scriptures so much and coming closer to Christ. Sometimes in class I feel like my chest is going to explode with happiness and love. I just want to run down the streets screaming about the gospel & have everyone read the Book of Mormon & pray about it, no options! B/c it's so true and has and will bless my life so much! I am so ridiculously glad I decided to come here b/c I've already met so many wonderful ppl. 

Even studying as a district last night, I was so happy. I never expected to come to love and learn so much from dorky 19 year old boys! haha, well I love you all so much! Write me on dearelder, getting letters def give me a boost in my day! I love you guys, read 1 Nephi 10, & I'll e-mail you next week!!

-Sister Mullen