The mission is Fantastic

Dear Family,

 

Mom, I have to first say that I am so thankful for the way you have taken care of my friends since I have been gone.  It means so much to me that they trust you and they call you and follow up with you.  It really made my day that you were the one who took Jenny to the Temple for the second time, it was really special for me to think that she trusts you enough to ask you to go with her.  I'm so excited that she has finally been able to go to the Temple!  I remember standing in the car park of the Bountiful Temple and she was asking me questions about the Temple and I couldn't tell her and I was so sad.  But now she knows!  Amazing.  But I am really thankful that all my friends feel comfortable in our home even when I'm not there, and now that my new mission friends are coming there too.  What a blessing.

 

It sounds like you had an exciting week.  I'm not sure how you fit so many things into everyday, to be honest.  You sound like a missionary :)  Just how Jenika was like at track, and then soccer, and then rushing to get ready for the dance, I couldn't believe it.  You all are crazy with your time.  Jenika was very lovely, I love the dress... where did you get it again?  I was going to say I want to borrow it to wear to and IWA dance... but IWA doesn't exist anymore, and with all the comfort eating I've been doing recently, I'm not sure that I could. 

 

Anyway, let's not talk about my weight.

 

The mission is fantastic, generally speaking.  Somedays it is just really hard to be honest, and I struggle, but most days it is really great because I'm able to see how the Lord blesses my life.  It is really hard to describe things sometimes, because they are just so potent and so real and any description seems faded.  I do hard things every day... I speak to people on the street and on buses and knock on their doors, and attempt to teach them things.  That isn't normal.  Normal people don't do that.  So maybe I am more freakish than I thought, but I know that I'm blessed for the good things that I do.

 

My mind is pretty blank right now.  Sorry.

 

I went on exchange this week with Sister Howell, who is being trained currently by Sister Jack in Whitefield.  It was a lot of fun, exchanges are so amazing.  We have been able to go and several mini exchanges this transfer and will be able to have 2 more actual exchanges I think.  It has been a blessing.  It is always good to see how other missionaries work and to have a change of pace (sometimes literally) for a couple of days.  I had no idea what exchanges were before my mission.  I remember them being mentioned in emails and by my friends, but I didn't really have any clue what they were.  So here is the definition of an exchange... When you trade companions for a few days.  That is pretty much it.  District and Zone leaders switch with missionaries in their district and zones.  Sister exchanges are a bit more difficult to set up before, we are few and far inbetween, but since we are in the heart of the mission, and since we have been requesting more exchanges we have been having more this transfer.  Anyway, the exchange was lovely.

 

A Miracle.  When Sister Howell and I were on the way home for the night there was this infamous bus driver.  Every time we get on the bus he tells us we can't preach to the people on the bus.  Well it was a 20 minute or so bus ride, and we were heading in for the night, so we had to take it.  So I just motioned that we should go upstairs, and when we got upstairs I saw someone I could talk to.  I just sat in front of him and started a conversation about his work or something... and of course he eventually asked me why I was here, what I was doing and things.  I told him that I was a missionary and asked if he believed in God.  Eventually the discussion moved on, and I was able to teach him the Plan of Salvation on the spot.  I didn't use the scripture because I was a bit afraid that the bus driver would see what I was doing, but I did teach him about the purpose of life, the Spirit World, judgement, resurrection and the Kingdoms of Glory.  He was very interested and I set an appointment for him to meet with the Elders in Ashton on Sunday.  I hope it went well, because he was really great, and it truly was a miracle from the Lord.  I can't believe I use to be afraid of bus contacting.  There is no way I would have done that a couple of transfers ago.

 

**Missionaries have been kicked off buses for proselyting.  One was my current Zone Leader Elder Cai.  When he and his companion got kicked off there was a write up about it in the newspaper and things, so that was good... not.  But everytime someone gets kicked off a bus they usually are revered by the mission, because we know they weren't usually like yelling or anything... well, I hope not.

 

I'm really tired since I started training.  It has really taken it out of me.  Generally going to bed at 10:30 doesn't seem early enough for me.  Can you imagine me going to bed at that time when I was home.  Oh how things change.  And how grateful I am for that change, because life is a lot better this way.

 

I know that God is real.  I know that Jesus Christ is the Saviour of the World.  I love them. I want to follow them.

 

Loves you,

 

Sister Hull

 

March 2012 Leadership Training

PS  I'm super excited about Carrie's mission call.  That will be perfect.  When will Katie get hers?  I told President my best friend was putting in her papers and he said he hope she comes here... but if she goes anywhere in the UK he will let me go and see her in the MTC.  Also, when are Jake and Emily getting married?  I'm so excited about that... but I also can't believe it sometimes.  I did get the package from Danea, she sent me parmesan goldfish which were amazing.  I'm grateful.  How is Grandpa Danny? 

 

Loves JH