It's a Wonderful Time to be a Missionary in EMM

Dear Family,

 

I have to say that, first off, I LOVE LOVE LOVE Marvin's Party this year.  At least the pictures I saw of it.  I have to say, I was a bit jealous of Jenika and Kallie getting to dress up like Disney Princesses.  So cute.  And Jenika getting her guy friends to dress up like the Princes, that is amazing.  I have really good friends, but I'm not sure I could have convinced any of them to do that.  Maybe like 1.45 of them I could have convinced.

 

I showed Sister Loh the picture, and she said she wants to be a Disney Princess next time it happens.  I told her she would probably have to be Mulan.  We have already figured out how she can cut her hair off with a sword :)

 

Congrats to Kallie and receiving her mission call :)  She,  Jordan and Dad can speak to each other when they get home.

 

We had another huge success with a LA named Laura.  We stopped by her on the ward's Reach Out Night with the WML.  She talked to us for a minute and invited us back.  We didn't make our return appointment because it was Sister Embley's last day and just got crazy.  The WML kept asking us about her, and we planned to return.  Finally one night he texted us at like midnight (luckily it didn't wake us) saying he felt really prompted that we needed to go and visit Laura.  We went as soon as we had open time, and she was there and let us in and we got acquainted with her and taught her on the spot.  She said she had been wanting to come back to church for a while and felt like it was the right thing to do (she hadn't been to church for like 15 years, by the way) and had even talked to her father about it.  But she had just never done it.  We scheduled a return appointment and took the WML with us.  He was so excited and basically taught the lesson himself and invited her to church.  She said yes, and he picked her up on Sunday morning and her and her young son came to church.  Everyone at church was so excited!  They couldn't believe it and were all greeting her, and were so happy that she was there.  Someone asked, 'Why did you come today?!'  She said, 'These two, Sister Loh, Sister Hull.... oh, and Brother Hesketh.'  (Brother Hesketh is the WML).  She wants to keep coming and says that she feels strong enough to face the obstacles ahead of her this time.  What a blessing.

 

 

Currently the EMM has a capacity of 140 young missionaries, 20 of which are sisters.

Because of the new announcement the capacity has been expanded to 212 missionaries, 64 of which will be sisters (and 2 of which will be Chinese Speaking). 

 

I think that means the ratio of Elders to Sisters will be changing from 7:1 to 4:1 or more.  That is so exciting.  It is a wonderful time to be a missionary in the England Manchester Mission!

 

I love it here. 

 

Loves, Sister Hull

 

PS  As far as we know Josh has been trying to live the word of wisdom.  He went out and bought a herbal tea and has been drinking hot chocolate and had about 1/2 of the cigarettes he usually has the first day!  It is good news:)

Mother-rage

Hi mom :)

Thank you so much for sending me that message from Van.  She is so wonderful, and that is so kind of her to be worried.  You can tell her that if she wants to come up and see me sometime she could come up and spend P-day with us or something.  I'm not sure how that communication would work, but that is the only day I assume I can see her before she goes home to China--- Unless she comes to the Chinese Christmas Party, which she definitely can.  Okay.  So you can tell her that :)  And that I miss her and Sister Embley very much.  Blarg.  It's hard.

I actually found out from Sister Embley that Vincent had only gone to church 1 time in the past month and that the Elders like didn't want her to let her teach him when she got back.  Oh.  I had a bit of a word with that Elder.  Yes I did.  First off, it doesn't really happen very often in English missionary land that you get sent back to an area where you have been before, but it does happen in Chinese missionary land.  And if your recent converts are still there it is etiquette for the other missionaries to let you teach them again.  When we whitewashed into Liverpool the Elders offered to let Sister Gong teach her recent convert again.  She declined (we still saw her all the time, but weren't like *teaching* her), but it was very nice of them to offer.  So I went up to that Elder at Chinese meeting and I told him straight up, 'You need to let Sister Embley teach Vincent.'  He was all like prideful and smug when he asked, 'Why?'  Oh.  I told him why.  I told him that she baptised him and they already had that connection and I went on and on and on.  So help me if that Elder's pride makes Vincent go less active.  I will not be having that.  I was so bold with him, I told him that these people are not lifeless objects even after they are baptised and you can't treat them as such (missionaries will probably noticed the quote from Elder Holland 'These people are not lifeless objects disguised as a baptismal statistic....' I almost started crying.  I was like, 'I don't think you understand how much these people mean to me...' (I had words to tell him about Van as well...)  Yeah, I was crying to him.  You can't use people.  You just can't.  And I know that I am full of pride myself at times and I might have just been picking at a mote, but I couldn't have anyone trampling over Vincent, Van and Sister Embley.  Sister Embley told me later in the day that he came and apologised to her (kind of deer in the headlights way) and that she was like, 'It looks like my trainer talked to you....'

I can't imagine what it feels like to be a mom.  If I am so protective of my trainees and recent converts I can't imagine what I'll be like as a mom.  Mother-rage.  I think Sister Okazaki described it as that once :)  Hmm... Maybe I shouldn't tell you about all the prideful things I do.  But I really want someone to be on my side at this point :)

We had a GREAT Thanksgiving.  Brother Wellington really wants to take care of the missionaries (especially the sisters) so he had all 6 of us over that day, plus two of his friends.  And oh my goodness, there was so much food.  They had a traditional English roast, but there was like chicken, pork, two kinds of potatoes, countless veg, yorkshire pud, stuffing, etc. plus three kinds of dessert.  We were dying.  We were dying of happinesss, for sure :)  It was a great Thanksgiving. 

We are teaching a wonderful investigator named Josh.  He is from the Channel Islands (there some Islands off of France, but they are like British or something).  Oh.  He is so good.  He is really the investigator I have dreamed of my entire mission.  He is a YSA and a Uni student and he is really intelligent and really normal.  That is a rare find, to be honest.  He has a really great desire to learn and change his life.  He told us the reason why he stopped and talked to us.  He is studying sports journalism and that day he was trying to interview people and loads of people said no to him.  So when we stopped him he was like, 'I know how that feels, I guess I'll just stop.'  And now we have been teaching him for like over a month.  He had a question about alcohol and things so we taught him the WoW a bit earlier than we expected, and I was terrified, but he said everything made sense, it would just be hard socially.  But he said he would give it a try.  Wow.  I'm amazed.  He is so good, and isn't crazy.  It's amazing and such a blessing.  A rare find.  If you would all love to pray for him, that would be totally fine with me :)  You can pray that he gets over his fear of church (he had a run in with a crazy cult-ish church when he was a teenager, so going to church really bothers him.

Well, I hope you have a wonderful week!  I love you!

Loves,  Sister Hull

Happy Thanksgiving!

Hello Everyone!

Yes, it was transfers this week!  6 weeks goes by a lot faster than you think, doesn't it? I really thought I was going to be transfered, but I wasn't- I'm still here in Preston.  That means I will spend 3 transfers in like all of my areas.  Sister Embley left, however.  Ugh.  That was so hard.  She is my longest companion and we get along so well.  When she got on the coach to transfers Elder Herrin (one of my good friends in   Preston, but super all American and not a person to cry in front of) asked if I was okay.  I was like wiping away tears and said, 'no', and started crying a bit.  Yeah.  It was rough to see her go.  But she has so many good opportunities- She is going back to Liverpool as the Senior Companion with another Chinese speaking sister so she will be so blessed.  I'm proud of her.  I hope it is a righteous proud :)  She is great and will always be one of my best friends.

I'm serving here in Preston with Sister Loh who is from Singapore!  She speaks English as her first language and then Mandarin and Cantonese (all the languages Sister Gong speaks!).  When President called me and told me I was going to serve with her I was like, 'Oh, President, I've wanted another Asian companion soooo bad!'  I was so excited.  She is definitely the most Westernised of my asian companions (she went to BYU and was actually born in Hawaii).  So she is really good.  She just finished her training with Sister Jack (my MTC companion) so it is a bit weird being a second companion.  She has so many of the mannerisms of Sister Jack which is so great and funny.  I've heard that Sister Beaty finds like me and Sister Embley
definitely does- it is so funny that we learn from our 'parents'.

I'll be a 'Chinese' missionary for half of my mission!  That is so crazy! I'm so blessed.

I can't remember much of anything else that happened this past week.  Everything is blanking right now.  It is so crazy how fast things go by and how in the moment you are.

I went on exchange to Chorley.  It is the area where the Temple is, and so we were constantly in the shadow of the Temple there.  Sister Suaybaguio had told me that there was special spirit serving in that
area and it is really true.  It is like the Spirit of the Lord is constantly surrounding it.  I think Logan must feel the same way, but I never noticed it because I never really left it.  I'll probably notice it when I get home.  Isn't there a quote that is like everytime there is another temple built on earth Satan looses some of his power?  I really think that that is true.  Which is why we need a Temple in China!  We really need like 500 temples in China, but first we need more than a few thousands members :)  Working on that.

Today is Thanksgiving, isn't it? I would exhort you to listen to Josh Groban's song 'Thankful' today.  It is approved here in the EMM and it is really good.  It describes how I feel.  Even though we have challenges and problems there is so much to be grateful for :)

I'm grateful for your support.
I love you.
  Loves, Sister Hull

'Fast, Find, Feast"

Mom,

I'm really glad that you got the package.  There was a gift from Vincent in it that was seriously a tender mercy from the Lord.  Like, honestly, it was one of the biggest miracles of my entire mission or my entire life.  I'll tell you about it someday.

I did get the tights and the cd, thank you so much.  Wool tights are a must have for a Sister missionary serving in the best mission in the world (clarification... that is the EMM... best. mission. ever.  Not
in a prideful way ;) ).  Yes, I got it.  Thank you so much :)

Guy Fawkes day was good.  We just stayed inside and started filling out Christmas cards... crazy.  We did see a bonfire the night before, so that was exciting :)

Tell Van to send it to the Knutsford address.  People who live in the mission boundaries aren't supposed to write to the flat address, but Sister Embley didn't know that so she put the wrong one on it when she wrote to Van.  I'll probably be moving next week anyway, so that will be best.

They do have something for the boys here, it is faith in God.  They have faith in God nights, I think it might be combined with the girls, though.  I'm not sure.  Some boys are part of secular scout groups or other churches scout groups as well.  But the church doesn't sponsor anything like that itself.

People here have been crazy about the election.  Some people have said, 'sorry your guy didn't win...' and some have been really rude like yelling that they were glad that Romney didn't win.  It is kind of frustrating, because political affliation and religion aren't synonymous, you know what I mean.  I could have just as easily voted for Obama as Romney, they have no idea.  I personally thought that Obama would probably win again, which is fine.  I mean, thinking about it, last time he won it didn't have that big of an effect on my life as an individual.  I'm sure I paid more taxes and I can be on your health insurance longer but other than that it is kind of like I can't change it myself.  The most disappointing thing is that they aren't going to run the article they interviewed us for because Romney lost.  Too bad :(

It has been a weird week.

I got three letters on Tuesday from Brendan, Chelsey and Andrea.  It made me remember... I have friends at home.  Like, to be honest, (and I hope none of them will take this rudely) I had kind of forgot.  There is just too much that you can be homesick about when you are on a mission so I kind of shut them out of my mind, which is weird and I never would have guessed that I would do.  I kind of convinced myself that they would be moved on and that I would have to get new friends when I got home, and I believed myself when I told myself that.  But they reminded me that I do still have friends at home, and that home isn't that bad but there are good things to do there as well.  I always believed before my mission that our friends were special and different and that no one could touch that.  But you see so many people and their friendships aren't special or different so you figure you must be the same.  But when I read a bit of each of their letters aloud to Sister Embley, she was like, 'Stop reading that to me, you are making me feel bad...'  because her friends aren't the same as mine.  We are just like so close, and it is different...  Anyway, shout out to them...  I'll be excited to see them again someday.

To be honest.  I've been thinking all week how much I would just like to sit in Brendan's basement with him, listen to 'Muse' and eat muddie buddies.  I know that is a possiblity.  Good.

I also got the last of the easy mac from Kallen, which was wonderful.  I think I ate it all this week and it was nice.  I love the UK so much, but I feel like Heavenly Father is reminding me that I have a home and there are nice things at home besides just my family (because I've been telling everyone here that I would rather not go home, but just have my family move here).  There are good things and so it will be okay to go home to that.  I don't think this is me getting trunky (at least I hope not), but just more realising that it will be okay when that time comes.  I do have a game plan when I get home, it may or may not include me coming and spending a day (or days) at each of my grandparents and uncle and aunts homes just chatting and talking and eating their food, and then after that attaching myself at the hip to each of my friends for a day.  That might be kind of awkward.  It probably would look super awkward to be literally attached at the hip to someone.  Imagine me attached at the hip to Josh DeFriez... it's funny, isn't it?  I might start laughing at my computer screen.

I had to read the last part of that paragraph out loud to Sister Embley because I thought it was so funny.  She didn't really laugh.

BTW.  I don't know if any RMs from the EMM read this BLOG but I have to let you know that we no longer keep track of QGCs.  Okay, code.  Probably none of them read it, which makes it even funnier.

We have a really good new investigator named Nobuyoshi.  He is from Taiwan but is from Japanese descent (and is quite prideful about that, to be honest).  But he is great and really willing to learn.  I like him.  We street contacted him in City Centre and he came to church yesterday and is coming to Investigator FHE tonight.  We are going to teach everyone the 10 Commandments with the hand signs and then play the game Signs afterward.  Appearently the games Signs is all the rage at BYU.  But not the 10 commandments part of the game.  At Utah State we like the commandments, so if we played Signs we would probably play the 10 Commandments version.  Okay.  I don't think I ever played Signs while I was in University and I feel quite well adjusted.  Yeah.  Nobuyoshi is great.

We went to District Leader Council (of which Elder Hull will now frequent).  I think I've been to like 4 DLC now and they are quite fun.  I always look forward to them, to council with my peers.  District Leaders are so funny, to be honest.  Some of them take themselves very seriously, and that is great because it is funny.
Yeah.  Our Zone Leaders are pretty good this transfer as well.  I don't think I've ever had bad Zone Leaders to be honest... well...there was that one time.  Haha, just kidding.

All the missionaries in Preston ward + Brother Cleaver went to a Chinese Buffet today for lunch.  It was great.  We've been before, but it is still good.  We have a special 'Fast, Find, Feast' in this mission and so that was our feast.  Brother Cleaver, who use to be a J Dub and sometimes falls asleep during lessons, teaches with the missionaries like everyday.  So I guess he went finding with some of the Elders and so he came with us today.  It was good.  I met a man here in Preston who had a picture of a cleaver tatted on his face.  I set an appointment with him, but we never taught him.  Hmmm....

Yeah, I've been having a weird week, like none of it is mentioned here, but prayers would be lovely.  I'm sure you are all praying for me, but I would love some extra support at the current moment.  Thank
you.

Loves.

Sister Hull

I love the British People

Hi Momma,

 

It's really okay that I was sick.  I told Sister Embley when I was sick at home my family just made me go sit in my room by myself anyway ;)  I just needed to take some time off, which is really difficult to do as a missionary.  I don't think I ever told you, but I was actually sick for something like 3 months when I was training Sister Beaty, but I never wanted to take a day off, so I never got better.  So it is good that Sister Embley pressured me into doing, I guess so.

 

I would love a SuperDry coat :)  After I emailed you I remembered that it might be a good idea, but I didn't want to ask for it.  But I think it would be a great idea.  They are all the rage here in UK, and you know me, I love to follow the fads.  But I think it will be good for me when I get home as well, because if I remember right I was wearing my Columbia coat from 5th grade when I was at uni :)  That was great.  Except I'm never coming home- but if I ever did that would be good.

 

That is so strange that Brianne (Cannon) is going to University!  She just seems too little, isn't it?  I always joked with Brendan that when he go home he and Bri could go to uni together.  So strange.  And a mission!  Missions are so lovely.  I was thinking about it yesterday, and Jenika could go on a mission in like a year and a half, isn't it?  So she could go like 8 months after Jordan gets home... which would be WONDERFUL!!  Good idea.  I mean, I'd miss her like crazy, and it is a lot harder to be the one at home, but I think Jenika should go on a mission.  Good idea.  I'll plan her life out.  And when she gets home from her mission there are several potentials I have for her to date.  That means that there is like no way for her and Jaden to be on the mission at the same time, isn't it?  I'm not sure.  But, yeah, it is up to her and the Lord, but I would say that she should go on her mission before going to Uni.  a) it is difficult to start and stop your studies b) a mission helps you to know how to effectively study and c) a mission prepares for your whole life.  It is more educational in real world application that university ever will be.  Good.

 

I say, 'isn't it?'  all the time now.  It isn't a UK think, it is a Chinese speaker thing.  Sister Embley says sometimes, 'I'm pretty much serving with a Chinese person.'  My English has progressively decreased... but I kind of love it.

 

Okay.  Vent time.  I had some missionaries tell me this week that they didn't love British people!  I was shocked.  One of them is going home this transfer.  They said they love to teach everyone else here (because it is quite international) but they don't love the British people.  ARE YOU SERIOUS????  I couldn't believe it.  I was like, 'I really love the culture here.'  And they asked me what I loved about the culture.   Okay, I love the food.  And I love the rain.  And I love talking to people on the bus.  And I love their dry dry humor.  And I love that they are always thankful for their jobs.  And I love that they love my accent.  I love the way they speak, not their accent as much as their phrasing and the different expressions they have.  I love how much they love their families, and their children.  Even if they have a family that others might term 'dsyfunctional' they still love them.  I love their view on life, even if it is negative.  British people are the best and I love them very very much.  I mean, I love Chinese people, so much.  I love African people so much.  But that doesn't mean I don't like British people.  That is like saying I love Prisca and Vincent and Van but not Mama Helen.  That is absurd.  I love Britain, and I love their people, and I would move here if it didn't cost loads and mom would miss me too much!  I told President about this situation and he told me that he was grateful the missionaries who baptised his parents didn't feel that way!  He also encouraged me and Sister Embley to show by example how to love the British people.  They may be standoffish at times, but they are easy to love.  With the Saviour as an example everyone should love their mission and everyone should love the people they serve.  If a missionary comes home from serving 2 years in a 'strange' land and doesn't come home loving the culture where they served I would be very disappointed in that missionary.  I love the British people.  At times I feel like they are more my people than anyone else, even a lot of Americans.  It is a blessing to love the people where you serve.

 

By the way, I was interviewed for a newspaper again this week.  Appearently this one has a much larger circulation, something like 4 million people.  That is crazy.  It is a newspaper called the Daily Mail and it should have run yesterday.  They wanted to take pictures of us proselyting, and we had the opportunity to find some boys that sat down with us on the obelisk where the very first missionaries came to UK to preach, and to have a discussion with them.  Pretty neat.  I hope that picture made it in just because it is so historic.  Anyway, look me up :)

They said missionaries might get interviewed a lot more if Mitt Romney wins.  Ugh.  I want to watch the election sooooo bad.  I have no idea what is happening with the polls and things, but it is killing me not to be able to watch it!  Last election night was soooo fun at Zachary Keith Larson's house.  Josh was funny and Jake was funny and Zach was funny, and Jordan Hull and Brendan and I were sad, and Katie was super happy.  Good times.  I think Lukey voted for Obama.  Anyway, I did vote, which was good.  I wrote dad's name in for something, as per usual :)  I hope it is well.

 

We briefly stopped an old man named Michael on the street last night.  He was an Irish Catholic who was slowly walking home from the pub.  When we stopped him he told us that we were 'lovely lasses' and that he had actually just been thinking about Jesus.  We believed him, and talked to him for a few minutes, although he wasn't interested to listen about the restored gospel.  I offered him a pass along card- the one with Jesus Christ rising from the tomb- and he started to cry.  He said something like, 'that is our Lord- that is our Lord.'  He was crying and looking at the picture of Jesus.  He told us how wonderful we were and that he believed it was a miracle that we met that night.  He kept tearing up and telling us that he would put that picture along side three others he had of Jesus Christ.  It is amazing.  We didn't convert him to the restored gospel, we didn't set an appointment or anything, but he believed that in meeting us and us giving him a passalong card it was a miracle.  That is one thing I love about being a missionary, we put ourselves in a position for miracles to happen. And Heavenly Father blesses us with those times.

Missionary work is very good.  It is very tiring, but very good.  I love it.

 

I love you. 

 

Loves,  Sister Hull

 

PS  Remember remember the 5th of November, gun powder, treason and plot.  I can think of no reason the gunpowder treason can ever be forgot.

 

Did I ever tell you the reason Vincent decided to be called Vincent is because he loves the movie 'V for Vendetta'?  He has a bobble head of the Guy.  So great.  I never seen it because it is rated 'R' but I bet my friends will be watching an edited version tonight.  Maybe Vincent will watch it as well.  I don't know :)

 

Speaking of Vincent.  Did you every get my package?  It had a present that Vincent gave to me that was very very special, so I would like to know that it make it home.  Could you be sure to tell me, it has been bothering me a bit.

 

Also.  Have you heard anything about Katie?  I know nothing about her mission!

The Lord helps me through the tough times

Dear Mom,

That is such a great picture :)  The Elders delivered my letter to he quite quick- I made a big deal of it.  Elders are known to let things like that sit in their flat until the Chinese recent converts have like gone back to China.  I almost made the Elder I gave it to like blood swear that he would deliver the letter to Van... so I'm glad she got it :)  I can't believe she posted it on facebook, though.  That is so crazy.  She is so great.  You can tell her that potentially (not for certain, but maybe) Sister Embley and I might come back to Liverpool on 10 November for Wang Yu's baptism.  So she better be there :)  She knows him, she taught him with us before we left.

Yeah, I heard that the missionary department went from like 700 applications a week to 7000 applications a week.  That is so crazy.  My friend Elder Woodworth is postulating that I will train again, but I'm not sure that they will get here in time for me to have another trainee.  I would love to have another daughter in the mission :)  My trainees are very good missionaries, but it is because they are pure in heart and have a really strong desire to serve the Lord- that makes training fine. I know that Sister Embley will train soon enough,
hopefully a Chinese, but maybe an English speaker.  I suppose I would love to train again, although to be honest training a 19 year old girl sounds kind of more intimidating.  I just know myself at that age, and I  wasn't ready for it yet.  The Lord's timing is perfect, and His work is going to rush forth.  There are people that need to be baptised.

That is nice that Taylor came over again.  I can't believe it is Halloween time again.  The year has gone by so
fast.  Sleepy Hallow sounds quite good, but maybe a bit scary.  I remember reading that book my Junior year of college, and the reason I remember the girls last name is because it is also Naomi's last name and she met Mr. Van Tassel during that same time period.  I connected a lot of dots.

This week I was actually really sick.  Like really sick.  Sister Embley was like begging me to stay in on Wednesday and I was like, 'no way, I'm not wasting my mission away inside the flat.'  So we went out and taught.  I knew that the grace of Jesus Christ could help me, we taught this girl named Taryn, and was just  so alive and so in it and really aware and felt led.  Then we taught a boy named Sam, who was a Chinese, so Heavenly Father knew I didn't need the help that time as much.  Usually during a Chinese lesson I participate quite a lot, but I just sat there dying as Sister Embley taught in Chinese.  I was so groggy.  Then, after that we were out contacting and the Assistants rang us and said they were in the area and asked if we wanted to go with them and the Zone Leaders to break our fast at a Chinese buffet... uh, yeah :)  (I forgot, I was sick and I was also fasting, which probably wasn't very smart).  Anyway, I got food and after that I felt really a lot more energized for that night and so we just continued to work.

The next day was Multi-Zone Conference, and Elder Kearon of the 70 came (that is why we were fasting).  Sister Embley and I missed our train, which meant we had time to buy cold medicine for me, and we got
there late and our district leader was sitting on the front row.  Which meant we were at the front were everyone could see me being sick.  My body just could not behave.  President Kearon showed this video about missionaries, that was touching but not like over the top, and I was like bawling.  My nose was running and I was coughing and I felt so sick.  I remember the training was good, but I don't remember
all of it.  I felt prompted that I needed to get a blessing, which a blessing for the sick and afflicted is not something I usually like to admit that I need.  At home I just deal with it and go to class and work and stay sick forever.  But I knew I needed a blessing.  Elder Sutton was there, because Ashton Zone was combined with ours and some other Zones, so I had him and Elder Miranda (my District Leader) give me a blessing.  I felt so much better after, I was like, 'I can do anything!'  I still felt tired, but healed.

Which is why I was confused why I was the most sick when I woke up the next day.  I was like really sick.  But I was like, 'Whatever, I'm going to push through it, I'm not spending my mission inside the flat.'  Well, it was weekly planning so we spend most of the day inside the flat anyway, but Sister Embley said I was going delirious.  I was talking about Elder Woodworth (who I had seen the day before and is a great friend of mine) and how funny he was.  He isn't particularly that 'haha' funny, and now I can't actually remember what
I was saying about him, but Sister Embley thought I was going crazy.  I was like, 'maybe I need to lie down.'  I kept day dreaming about weird things like 'SuperDry' coats (of which I really want one).  She convinced me that we shouldn't go to our next appointment, it was a less active that had little kids and so we didn't go.  In the evening, though, we still went out and taught two lessons, one was Sam and he was really good so we didn't want to miss it.

I was like, fine I stayed in for an hour and a half of my mission, that isn't that much, it is okay.  But then the next day I woke up and felt like I was going to die.  I tried to make it, but I couldn't even make it through companionship study before I had to go lie down.  We finally got a hold of Sister Preston (we had been trying to do so the day before to get permission to stay in) and she told us to stay in and that it was freezing that pretty much that it was crazy for me to go outside (she had seen me at Zone Conference, I think I might have cried to her as well).  Well, that took a lot of humility.  Heavenly Father really had to prompt me to stay inside the flat and take care of myself.  I did convince Sister Embley to go with me to street contact and get our bus passes so we were talking to people for like 1 1/2 hours is all.  It hurt to stay in.  I wanted to go work.  But Heavenly Father reminded me of Sisters that just 'pushed through it' and they made themselves so sick.

I went into my room one of the days and cried and cried and cried.  I sobbed and sobbed, because I didn't want to be sick and I didn't want to stop doing the Lord's work.  I'm not one to miss school or work to be sick, and so to miss doing the Lord's work (which I really only have a finite time to participate in) was killing me.  It hurt so bad. But I needed to be humbled and realise that I have limitations, and that it is only through Jesus Christ that I can be saved from spiritual death of sin, but also the only way I can be saved from physical death.  I think I have realised for a while that I rely on Him spiritually- no unclean thing can dwell with God- but this made me realise that I rely on Him physically.  He can, according to my faith, completely heal me.  The Priesthood can do that- through that blessing I could have completely been healed.  But what would I have learned from that?  Would I have learned that the Fall was real? No.  Would I have learned that we all experience weakness and trials and that Adam and Eve are our first parents and introduced opposition in the world, not to ruin our lives, but to make us stronger? No.  Would I have thought, after being completely healed, that every time I say 'Jesus, Jesus!' I would be magically healed and wouldn't have to worry or experience any of the suffering He felt? Maybe.  Would I have ever realised that missionary isn't about me, but about the Lord?  Maybe not.  It also might have taken me longer to realise there is more I
need to change about myself.

So yeah, I've been ill this whole week.  I still am pretty sick.  But the Lord helps me through the tough times, and He will help His work roll forth.

I love you.  Loves,

Sister Hull

hellow :)

Dear Family,

I have to say that I think that Elder Hull is probably one of the best missionaries I've ever met.  I miss him sooooo much, to be honest.  I can't imagine what it is like in Bolivia.  It must be so difficult to be a  missionary there.  I love how much he is learning.  Ugh.  He's the best.


I still can't believe about the new age announcement for missionaries.  I've told everyone it is going to effect sisters more than Elders.  A lot of sisters will go now, I think so.  I think there are a lot of Elders who are encouraging their 'best friends' (aka girlfriends) to go on missions.  A member last night fed all 6 of us missionaries, which was fun, but he said that all the Elders are going to get home and their would only be older returned sisters, so then they would marry them.  I turned to Sister Embley and was like, 'It looks like the Lord is helping us out...'  It was funny.  But I do like what dad said about it, that it will really help in raising future Zion.  I know being on a mission will help me and my future family sooo much.  My husband and children should probably thank the Lord every night of their lives that I served a mission :)

Uhhh.... Christmas.  I have no idea.  One thing I don't need is new clothes.  I have collected so many clothes on my mission from other sisters and things that I'm going to have to get rid of most of them over time.  Umm... I think it would be good if you just put money into my account and then I could either use it here or elsewhere.  As for something to open on Christmas morning... you could send me some crunchy Cheetos.  Not the baked ones.  Also, you don't have to send any easy mac... I have some still left from last year :)  Also lifesaver gummies.  But also not too much foodstuff, because sometimes I don't eat it all. I honestly can't think of much more that I would want.

We had a really good week.  We had so many miracles.  Most of them came in the form of teaching lessons on the spot.  It is scary for a missionary (especially a new missionary, like Sister Embley) to ask, 'Do you have some time now?' and teach someone right then.  But we have had some really great successes, new investigators and things (one of which seems like he will progress :)  His name is Allwell, like 'All is well').  It is always inspiring when the Lord puts one of his prepared children right in your path and you are able to see them change even a little bit during the few minutes you talk to them.

This is the work of SALVATION!

So many people are prepared to hear the gospel.  I have testimony of that.  We just need to find them, and that comes by diligently searching.  I know that members are very key to that as well, to have members find or help teach is so important.  That means each of you are very important to this great work.  I think Elder Nelson's talk will ring in everyones ears for a while, 'Ask the missionaries!  They can help you!'  Love it.

We had an experience this week with a man named Barry.  He wouldn't let us teach him on the spot, and he wouldn't let us pray for him.  He wouldn't let us do much of anything to be honest.  He said that he would never change and he would never believe.  Sister Embley and I both felt so strongly that we wanted to help him so we just kept talking to him.  By the end, he still wouldn't pray, but he changed.  He told us that he would go home that night and try to pray.  I hope that he did.  Those kinds of things mean a lot to a missionary.

I love you.

Loves,  Sister Hull