We've moved!

Dear Everyone,

 

I can't believe all the things that are going on at home.  It has seriously been freaking me out that University has started again at home.  That is a whole year of upper education that I missed.  But I would say that I am definitely receiving the highest education, so that is okay.

 

I love that you went to a Catholic baptism for the P family.  They sound wonderful.  I love that there are Catholics in the world that actually believe in their faith.  There are loads of Christianed Catholics and CofEs here, but most of them are atheist now.  It is quite sad.  I tell people occasionally that my  father taught me that people with religion- no matter what religion- are good people.  And honestly, they are, they just don't know where to find all the truth.  I completely LOVE that you invited them to the Temple open house :)  Way to be missionaries. 

 

I love the pictures from the Temple Open House.  The twins are so beautiful, seriously.  Most children grow up and aren't as cute, I think, but they really are. I wish I could have gone to the Open House as well, but I'm very blessed that now I'll be able to go inside when I go home.  We'll have to do a Temple tour, I think so.  It sounds beautiful, you have to tell me about the dedication.  That will be lovely.

 

We had a good week this week.  We took sometime away from the Uni campus, which was nice.  We were strengthening other members and less actives.  As much as I love the Uni and working with all the students there, it was nice to go somewhere else for a day.  The RS president had us go visit a recent convert who is in the hospital because of self harm.  I was quite nervous, but she was quite good. She was actually taught by E. Ashcraft, so that was kind of strange, but good.  We also did service for a member family, Sister Embley did their ironing and I helped them sort through family history cards... which I love doing, you know?

 

Elder Fawcett left this week, which was quite sad.  He has been my leader and my friend since I transfered to Liverpool, and he helped us a lot with the Chinese work and things.  All the Chinese members and investigators were so sad, and to be honest I was really sad as well.  The day after he left I was feeling upset because so many of my friends have left me and I don't think it is fair.  Not that I want to leave, I just want them to stay or to come back.  That morning I was just going through the Book of Mormon and the next chapter was Alma 17.  Verse 13 really stood out to me.  '...that they ^aseparatedthemselves and departed one from another, trusting in the Lord that they should meet again at the close of their ^bharvest; for they supposed that great was the work which they had undertaken.'  I realize that this is a really great work that we are doing, and I'm so blessed to still be doing it.  And we have to trust the Lord with everything, but especially that we will see those we care about again later :)

 

Van is dated for baptism this weekend.  She is so good.  We have taught her ever since Sister Gong and I came to the area.  She is honestly one of my best Chinese friends.  She is probably one of my best friends regardless, she is so good and takes such good care of us.  She has been living the Word of Wisdom for a while, but still had this collection of alcohol that she needed to get rid of.  I had to commit her to do it this past week, and I was quite nervous.  But it was a great day when we walked in and all the bottles were gone and replaces with textbooks :)  She is great- and thankfully she is from the same place as Sister Gong so when I go to China I can see her :)  I'm going to China.  Someday.

 

I used Sister Embley's cord so I was able to send some pictures :)  Enjoy!

 

Loves,

 

Sister Hull

 

PS  We moved!  We are still in Liverpool, but we moved to a flat with more rooms, and I love it.  Here is my new address :)

 

Flat 4 Abbeygate Apts.

Wavertree Gardens

Liverpool

L15 8HB

United Kingdom

 

Acting like a boss.  Jojo, Sister Hull, Van and Sister Embley



I like my head smashed against the walker.  Sister Gong, Sister Horne,
Sam, me, Beryl and Sister Adams.




At a Chinese Activity with Vincent.  Sister Hull and Sister Embley



Sister Hull and Sister Longmore hiking Mt. Snowden



Sister Preston, Sister Hull, Sister Gong and President Preston




Wini, Sisters Adam, Hull, Gong and Horne




The Chinese Members and investigators in Liverpool



 

Mt. Snowden

Hello Everyone!

 

I hope that you have had a wonderful week this week.  I can't believe how fast a week goes by, to be honest, it is crazy.  But I love being a missionary so much.

 

This week as a mission we hiked Mt. Snowdon.  Oh my goodness, it was the worst/best experience of my life. The Assistants had hiked it before and decided to take us up the difficult trail, because it was more beautiful.  And apparently the day before it was quite beautiful... but for us we didn't get to see much of it.  We were about a 3rd the way up and it started to sprinkle just a bit... and it got heavier and heavier until it was a torrential downpour on our heads.  It was seriously raining so hard- it is unbelievable the Welsh weather.  And we were climbing up the side of a huge mountain- it was not a leisurely walking trail.  I realized that it taught me my true character, how much I had learned, and how much more I needed to learn.  If it was pre-mission me, I probably would have been screaming at however forced me to climb the mountain, and would have thrown a temper tantrum.  Honestly, it was that bad.  I was getting pretty uptight about it, but I tried to keep my calm.  At one time I did kind of shout, 'Elder Jackson... why are we stopped moving????'  and I felt horrible.  No one had forced me to climb this mountain, I had decided to do it myself.  It was my agency, and I decided to do it.  And I knew I wouldn't die, but I just had to keep putting one foot in front of the other.  Eventually we got to the top- it is supposed to be really scenic and beautiful, but we were just so wet and there were so many clouds we just pretty much started hiking back down, an easier way.  My hip was freaking out (sometimes I tell myself my back is better... but it really isn't, I'm just blessed) and I was hurting bad.  But I had to stay in front  of Elder Hengst, it was the rule.  So I was hiking down, talking to Elder Hengst and Elder Baker (there were sisters within sight and sound- no worry), and I was freezing, but I had a really good time.  I knew I just needed to keep going, and talking to those Elders was entertaining and enlightening and guess what?  I climbed up and down Mt. Snowdon.  It took sacrifice, a sacrifice of my selfish feelings, but I did it :)  Can you believe it?  I've changed so much.

 

On Friday we had a Chinese Activity for all the chinese people within the mission.  It was really good.  They are really pure in heart people and they really desire to learn about God.  Their faith develops so much that they don't even recognize how child-like and amazing their faith is.  They all had a good time, and I was able to see my friend Wei-Di from Preston again (he is going back to China in October :( ), and most of the Liverpool Chinese were there and I love them very much.  Working as a Chinese missionary is one of the biggest blessings of my life, I think so.  I have developed so many friendships and I love them so much.

 

It is crazy how much you love people on your mission.  Whenever I'm having a bad day President always says one thing to me, 'Prisca and her children.'  Oh my goodness, I love them so much.  When I was in Swinton I never thought I could love people so much, nor that I would be able to love anyone in the same way, because they were my first recent converts.  But I love so many people so much.  There are so many Chinese people I love, some are my recent converts, some are my investigators, and some are other peoples recent converts.  I just love them.  I wish you could meet them.  They are amazing.  And it is really hard, because even if I come back to UK in 5 years or something, they won't be here.  I need to go to China.  And another thing, I love my companions so much.  Honestly, they are closer than friends, it's like they have to be family.  And-ah- Sister Shen and Sister Gong, I miss the so much like everyday.  Sometimes I wish they were here to help me and laugh with me.  I think I've become more Eastern Culture.

 

Yeah.  Go on a mission.  I'm going to go on like 12.  Seriously, I hope that my husband and I can come back to UK for a mission, and go to China.  And I hope that Elder Fawcett is our mission president when we go on our mission to China.  He probably will be, to be honest.  He is leaving this week :/

 

Saturday was Vincent's baptism.  Vincent is so amazing.  He knows that God is real, and that is saying a lot.  I ask him how he felt and he said that he felt a little bit special, but he knew that it would grow, and he was glad he was on the path now to follow God.  He really understands that the Gospel is a progression, and that is amazing.  I have really loved him and respected him since I came to Liverpool, and I'm so blessed to be apart of his teaching process.  He will stay in UK for probably a year, which is really good, and then he will be a kingdom builder in China, I think so.  He is really amazing.

 

Funny highlights from the week.

 

Vincent thinks that home teachers should be given a test to make sure they know enough to teach.

 

Steven Dai doesn't have a church in his hometown in China... so he said he will build one.

 

Maxine's computer got wet and she prayed that she wouldn't lose her dissertation.  Her computer worked.

 

Owen said his first English prayer at Vincent's baptism.

 

And by the way.  I hiked Mt. Snowdon.

 

The Gospel is true.  I love you.  I want to go on a Sons of Mosiah mission- length wise at least.

 

Loves,

 

Sister Hull

 

New Companion

Hello Everyone!

 

I hope you have had a good week.  Mine has certainly been busy.  I'm so excited about all the things that were going on this week.  I'm especially excited for Katie's mission!  She will be so good and she will have so many amazing experiences :)  She looked really cute in the picture as well. Will you send me her address.  I'm also excited about Fyre's wedding- that is so strange that we are so grown up enough for her to get married.  Her wedding looked/sounded very cute.  And I've been excited all week for you to meet Sam and Beryl.  They are so amazing.  That is so funny that the kids love their accents. Believe me, not everyone in UK sounds like that.  It is a Liverpool accent for sure. Skouse accents are the best, albeit the hardest to understand.  They are so great, I'm glad that you got to meet them.  I hope they will be home soon.

 

I have a new companion!  She is very very good.  Her name is Sister Embley and she is from Michigan, but has lived in China and Mexico as well.  Her Chinese is very good, she only spent about 4 1/2 weeks in the MTC and then got moved up to come a transfer earlier.  She is really great and I'm really blessed to be her trainer.  She already loves the Chinese people so much, like so much it is crazy.  It is so good, though, because she really desires their welfare, and she has plenty of time to teach in Chinese.  And I feel totally in my element because I can't understand everything that is going on, so it feels just a teeny bit like being with Sister Shen or Sister Gong again, and I love them so much that it is a very good thing.

 

We had a very busy week. We went to the Temple.  The Preston Temple is so beautiful, by the way.  I have been so blessed to go so many times particularly recently.  You should all go.  I don't know how, just go :)  Someday.

 

We also had a Chinese meeting for passing on some of the Chinese culture, which was really good. 

 

We are planning Vincent's baptism for the 18th.  He is so good and has such a strong faith in God now.  He knows that God is there, and that is really really good for a Chinese person.  I love Chinese people, and I love Liverpool.  Times are hard and stressful, but the Lord really helps me do all things :)

 

I love you.

 

Loves,

 

Sister Hull



Aug 11 2012



Chinese Speakers

 

Weekly Letter

Hello :)

 

I'm glad you got in contact with Sam.  That is great she saw Taylor last weekend.  You'll have to see if she posted any pictures on fb of him in his red trousers- He was pretty proud of those. I think Elder Eggers will be wearing mint green ones, if I remember right.  I'm glad that you'll get to meet Sam and Beryl as well.  They are so good, I miss them very much.  Church is honestly a bit harder on Sundays without them there.

 

For my fb, I think you can just take it over, mom.  That will be fine.  I can send you the password... If I remember it.

 

I miss Jordan. 

 

Everything is okay here.  I don't have much time, because we are having a district activity in downtown Liverpool.  Our investigators are good, they are continuing to progress, although I would say progression is a bit slower since we aren't speaking their language. I think it will help when the new sisters get here.  We had to split our investigators for each companionship, and that was very difficult, especially for me because I have been here for a while and have formed really close bonds with all of them.  I love Chinese people so much.  So so much.

 

This week will be very busy, but very fun, I think.  On Tuesday we are going to the Mission Home for a short training, and then we'll stay the night there because our trainees will come the next morning.  Then on Friday we will be going to the Temple as a Zone, which will be great.  We are taking time to rededicate ourselves as a mission, because we really do need that, and so we'll be going to the Temple.  And then Saturday we are going to have a Chinese Meeting before Elder Fawcett goes home.  And then next week as a mission we will be climbing Mt. Snowdon- it's like 6 miles or something, but I think I'm in better shape.  So that is good.  It will be crazy.

 

Please pray for me.

 

I love you.

 

Sister Hull

 

PS  The newspaper article was published :)  I don't know where to find it, President just gave me a copy of it.  It was in the Independent I think probably on the last Sunday in July.  It would be about like British Mormonism.  I'll try to copy what President gave me, but see if you can find it online.  I'm quoted :)