My, How Time Flies!!

April 28, 2012


Hi there!

My, how time flies! This upcoming week I will hit my 1 year mark - yeah...weird. In some ways it feels like I've been a missionary forever - in others, only a moment. But whether it's forever or a moment, or some confusing mixture of the two, it has been wonderful and I can only expect more wonderful things in the near future.

Just to clarify, our investigators baptism was on the 14th, which was 2 weeks ago - not sure if I ever made that clear. But she's doing awesome. She received a calling this last week as a translator for Sacrament meeting, since she speaks english fluently. She's excited to be able to serve in her calling and continues to love the gospel. She is one of the most sensitive people to the spirit I have ever met. We were just in a lesson yesterday teaching about the Plan of Salvation and how Christ makes it possible to overcome our weaknesses and shortcomings, and she interrupted and said "can you feel the spirit right now? Because I can." It was such a great moment, and the spirit was so strong. I pray for her continually to continue to have that strength of spirit to move on even through hard times. 

One of the things I love about the Gospel is that it doesn't make everything harder - it makes everything meaningful. It's not just a to-do list that we check off and finish - it is a pattern of living that makes life manageable and, even more, fulfilling. 

So now for a couple answers - you have some good, ponderous questions this week...we'll see how I do haha.

1. What would u say have been your hilights of your first year? - Wow, highlights of the year so far...to start, it is definitely seeing people I taught choose to follow Christ and be baptized. Each of them are so special, and I love and pray for each of them. Other highlights, big and small, include working with the saints here, Christmas Eve at the member's home, singing at the the Branch President's house after moving their piano, working in the office, Elder Christofferson's visit, and most recently seeing our investigator and her friend staying strong together. Those are just a couple that come to mind.

2.  Will you be getting new missionaries when you transfer?  We assume you will orient the new office manager early in the week like you were and then transfer out midweek.  Is that right? - Yup, máte pravdu. We will be getting new missionaries, and I will be training the new office manager. I have no idea who it'll be, but I'm sure he'll be amazing. 

3.  We will be excited to hear about the concert. Any other prague moments to share? - Concert is later tonight, so you'll have to get the low down on it next week. But this week we moved to a new apartment just down the street from the church building (1 tram stop). It is an awesome apartment, and I'll be sure to send pictures. It has an amazing view of Prague castle - Prague moments come often. We'll be walking down the street, and sometimes I'll just say to myself "we're in PRAGUE." What an amazing place to serve. I love this country and this city - it is a privilege to serve here.

4. More importantly we would love to hear of your missionary moments of the week!! - We had several wonderful lessons this week where the spirit was very present. Like I said before, most of the most spiritual lessons I've had on my mission have here with our most recent investigator - I'm so excited to see her progress in the gospel, even from a more removed position. Otherwise, we started meeting with an awesome man this week - he is probably in his 50s and has a 28 year old son who lives in New York - and his son just happens to be a returned missionary and active member of the Church. He apparently talked with his son and his son told him to come and look up the church building, so he came and we set up an appointment with him after a quick chapel tour. He came to church this Sunday and we had a meeting on Monday. He is a wonderful man and speaks fluent English and Czech (he lived in America for 25 years). He has absolutely no background in faith or religion and no real belief in God now because of how he grew up - he grew up in the Czech Republic during communist times where all the teachers and his family told him that there was no God. But he is willing to try and read the Book of Mormon and pray. I'm excited for him!

5. Is your district doing well?  We bet it has been fun to get to know new missionaries as well!! - District is doing well, I love the missionaries in the district. We're all different but are all focused on the work and very obedient, which is awesome.

6.  What are the mission rules re emails from non family. Brother Smith was asking. - we can receive emails from others but cannot reply to them - we're only allowed to email family (you guys, chris and Jenna, aunts uncles cousins). But if they write me an email I'll usually include a paragraph in response in my email to you. I had the goal to also write a response letter to every letter I receive, and more and more I realize that time runs short every pday. I am so sorry to those writing me who still haven't received a letter back - I'll still try to get letters off in response, but it just might take a while. Missionary work is pretty darn busy our letter writing time is limited!

 OK, so as far as mother's day goes, let's do the call at 5:00 my time - that'll give me ample time to then prepare for call-in reports.   So call that number and we'll be cooking! I'm so excited to talk to you all again - it seems like just yesterday we were talking at Christmas! (sorry if it doesn't seem that way to you guys haha!) But I'm definitely looking forward to it.

Unfortunately I am completely out of time, but know that I love you all so much. This gospel is true and I am so, so grateful for it. I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God and that it will guide every willing heart to a life of fulfillment, joy, and peace.

Until next week,

Starší Mullen

(ps - dum dum!)