3 Months Til Christmas

Oh heyyy!!

So tomorrow marks 2 months since I went into the MTC. CRAZY!! I felt like I was hardly in the MTC, but at the same time, it felt like it was 2 months. & now I've been in NZ longer than I Was in the MTC. So weird. The mission does crizazy thing to time.

So this past week was a good week. We went to the temple on THursday and it was awesome! Ahhh! I love it! It was awesome to see it as we were driving up because it's on a hill and out in the country and there's just this huge white building that pops into view. 3 of the 4 sisters at the VC right now came from Tauranga, so I hope that the tradition continues and I get to make my way over to Hamilton after I'm done here in Tauranga. I've already gotten the confirmation that I'm supposed to be here on a mission, but being at the temple just reaffirmed that. I feel so incredibly thankful to be able to serve the Lord at this time and to be a part of his work. & most importantly that He saw me worthy to represent the church and my Savior Jesus Christ. It truly is an honor each and everyday! & I was thinking how I really can't see myself doing anything else at this time. Even if I were at BYU, I don't know what I would be doing. & that definitely confirmed to me that this is where I am supposed to be. & I love it! & I am so incredibly thankful to have Sis Perry as my trainer. She has helped me out so much and is just the best. I think Heavenly Father knew I needed her specifically to help me get started on the right foot and that I probably wouldn't have lasted if I had a crazy trainer. & I am so thankful for the new training program. We get to study 2 hrs every day as a companionship and get to watch lots of PMG videos to show us examples and it gives the new missionary specific goals for each week and it's amazing how everything we've been studying has applied to what we were doing that week! The training program truly is inspired! And so is PMG. I know that the lessons are in a certain order and within each lesson follow a certain order because that's how it makes most sense to the investigators and it also follows the questions that people naturally have as they learn more about the gospel. It's great. Also since we were at the temple, we had a little temple conference with our zone and heard from Pres & Sis Lekias and it was so good! I love them both so much and am so thankful to be working with them. They also came to our district meeting friday since they were down in our area and so we got them 2 days in a row and I loved it. I know that Pres Lekias is inspired and receives direction specifically for our mission and I am so thankful for what he's doing with our mission and to have him here! I wish I could see them more often then maybe once a month.

So I decided after being on a mission, I have no reason to ever feel awkward because I do lots of awkward things right now. Like pulling over and getting out of the car to approach people. Or the other day, we were on our way to a lesson, but were coming up to a couple walking down the street. So Sis. Perry pulled over and I got out, but they were pretty far ahead, so I was on the verge of running after this couple to talk to them. Sadly they didn't want to hear anymore, but then as we were walking back to the car, this guy that was walking down the street started crossing the street, so we crossed it too, and started walking the direction he just came from (clearly he didn't want to talk to us) but kept walking with him and talked to him for a bit anyway. We also pulled over and I went to talk to a guy working in his front yard, and when I told him I was a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and talked about how we can live with our families for ever, he told me, "Just Get Lost", haha, I thought that was pretty funny, & then he mumbled something & I think it had to do with doing something productive with my time. Little does he know.

Speaking of church yesterday, I had about 2 minutes notice that I was teaching gospel principles. My comp went to primary b/c we had lots of investigators with kids at church yesterday, and this lady in the ward is quite bold and has no fear heard Sis Perry telling me that as she was walking by and she grabbed the GP book out of my hand & said, "Come on Sister Mullen, I'll teach it with you." Thank goodness for her! It would have been a LONG lesson if she didn't come help me. She can be kind of intimidating, but I love her so much! Haha.

Oh, so we had Daylight Savings this weekend, so now I think I'm 19 hrs ahead of MST. And speaking of being ahead of y'all, we don't get the Relief Society Broadcast til next week, which also means we don't get General Conference til the next week. & I can't wait for it! But some verses I came across this week that I especially loved were Alma 7:22-24. And it talks about our duty to God & the things we need to do here on earth like be humble, submissive, full of patience, long suffering, being dilligent in keeping the commandments. And I love love love v. 24 where it says "And see that ye have faith, hope, and charity, and then ye will always about in good works." After reading the talk on hope from the priesthood session in April, I've being to see how closely related faith, hope and charity are, and if we have all of those in our lives, that we will be happy and have that desire to keep the commandments and endure to the end! I love it! I love the scriptures! I love reading Conference talks! This weekend, I've really begun to see the blessings that come to us as we are obedient and active in the gospel. The scriptures are full of things that will bring us true happiness here on earth and happiness we can't even comprehend in the next life! I love the gospel and am so thankful to be sharing it with so many people right now! Love you all, hope all my brothers are still alive. I know Mike is, I hear about him in Mom & Dad's letters. Love you!

Love, Ally

...yeah, that's still my name. Even though it's starting to sound weird now.

PS the first picture is of a view by one of our member's houses. Gorgeous. The other two are obviously at the temple.
PPS We're taking our investigators to the VC this Saturday and I can't wait!!