Hello, hello! Well, no exciting food stories to tell about this week. But we did pass out a meal roster, so we're going to be fed more, and I'm sure I'll have stories next week. I'm so scared! haha, This lady in our ward who is feeding us Tuesday called to see what we do and don't like, and when she asked about fish, I told her I had never had fish before, thank goodness, b/c she said she had a ton of oysters and was going to see if we wanted them...I am so incredibly thankful she called us! I have been so incredibly blessed with our feeding situation here.
So our most exciting news this week was that we had our first baptism! Her name is Carrie and we met her our first sunday here and she had already been to church 3 times, so it just a matter of teaching her everything before she could get baptized. She's in the Katikati Branch, so we had to drive out there friday w/ the elders for her baptismal interview and she was SO excited afterwards and it made me so ridiculously excited! She really is amazing. She's 27 and has been smoking since she was 8 years old and quit within a week! The sunday before her baptism, that was her big concern that she woulnd't be able to stop smoking by her baptism, but she was done on Wednesday! It's amazing what is possible with the Lord's help. And the other super awesome thing about her baptism was that it happened in a river! Boo yay! (that's the last pic I attached). Not cool that it was the first day since I've been here that it rained and it POURED. It was SO cold & windy, but a day she'll never forget! haha, it was so exciting to have baptism in a river! They are using an old Catholic church for their church building, so they don't have a baptismal font. The Branch Pres said next time we'll just do it in the ocean b/c the river was pretty low. But yeah, it was so exciting!
So yesterday in Sac Mtg in the Otumoetai ward, every 2nd Sunday is missionary Sunday (it's a pretty small ward...because about 2/3 are less active. No bueno) So we got 2 recent converts to speak and went Saturday to help them figure out waht to say, the wife was pretty nervous, the husband seemed nervous at first, but then it came out that he LOVES To talk (which he does) so I was planning on giving like a 2 min talk b/c I figured he would take up a ton of time, but they didn't show up til right after the Sacrament, so I guess Bishop decided to not have them talk at all, so I had about 10 min to prepare a 10 min talk...and it was pretty bad, haha. I decided to just tell the story of Ammon and King Lamoni, but I got the details of King Lamoni mixed up with Lamoni's father. Uh, yeah, embarassing! bahaha, hopefully no one really noticed, and if they did, I'm sure they were just thinking, "Oh, this poor greenie." Let's just say I have TONS of room to improve on my improv talks, haha. & the funny thing is, I was looking for the scritpures of how King Lamoni said that he asked what he needed to do so that he could know God better and I couldn't find it in that chapter! Uhh, I should have realized then that that's because he didn't say that! Whoops. No worries, I'm pretty sure it won't be long before I have the chance to get up and make a fool of myself again, haha. Oh, like next week when we both have to give 20 min talk on the Law of Chastity. Thanks for your help...oh wait. My goodness, I have no idea how this is going to go down. I hate having our resources so limited as missionaries.
So last week we hiked Mount Manganui and it was AMAZING! I couldn't get over how pretty it was. You've got the city right there, this mountain COVERED in trees, the ocean going forever in the other direction, miles and miles and miles of coast. It was so pretty. I attached some pictures, but I know they still won't do it justice. And the weather was so nice too. Good thing we did it last week b/c it's quite cold today. I hate the cold. I was telling Sis. Perry how I can't wait for summer and she said, "You just came from summer." Yeah...I know...I love summer. I'm pretty scared for winters here. Sounds like it rains a ton...and I can't wait to ride my bike in the rain. My goodness, I will be dead when I have to start riding a bike!
Funny note, people here seem to have SUCH a hard time saying Mullen. Everyone always has to see my nametag after I say my name. Sister Perry said it's because they don't really use L's in Tongan and Samoan, so it's just a weird sound. I never thought my name was that hard to say, haha.
So now we're just working on finding new investigators, and it's hard. Members aren't too much help and we have a TON of less actives. Prbly over 2/3. So we've got a lot of work to do there. And tracting is no fun. Occasionally ppl want to have a chat with us, but it usually doesn't lead to us having a lesson. One lady was telling us how we just need to stuudy the Bible and apply it to our lives, but thought we were CRAZY for saying that there would be ONE man on earth to direct Christ's church. And when we told her how an apostasy was mentioned in the Bible, she asked where. Clearly she hasn't done much studying of the Bible if she doesn't even believe in prophets. "How would they have that authority if Christ didn't come back to the earth?" uhh...How did Moses and Noah have that authority before Christ came to the earth. Anywho, We've got lots of work cut out for us...and let's be honest, I'm not a big fan of tracting and putting on my smiling face when people are just rude most of the time, but who is?
I love you all! Here mom told me that she was awful about writing and she's probably in 2nd place after dad, haha. Hope everything is going well!
Love, Sis Mullen
PS I am in such a Christmas mood and DYING to listen to Christmas music...and I think it has to do with the fact that it's so cold here. It's going to be weird having a warm Christmas.
PPS Chelsey, I got your letter. You're the best, & I'll write you back hopefully today. So expect a letter in 2 weeks.
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