Už je to prosinec? Vážně?

November 30, 2012

(ps, you pronounce the subject like this: Oosh yeh toe pro-seen-ets? Vaah-zh-nyey? haha just for fun!)

This week was wonderful, but my how time flies! Speaking of flies, I just slayed one in front of me haha - but that's irrelevant. Onto this week! Thanks so much for your email - Elder Coleman loves reading our emails. We always come to the office after studies, then go and read them while we eat lunch at a quick lunch place around the building (today we had Doner Kebabs, really good!). So fun to hear that all is well at home and even get a peek at your wonderful week. I loved all the pics you sent - thanks!

Elder Coleman and I are so impressed with the calendaring activity you had. It is amazing to see the church work so slick and on top of things like that. I can't wait to continue to serve in the church my whole life in whatever capacity I am called. I want to enjoy every calling. That's got to be one of the things I've learned on my mission is how important magnifying your calling is. I remember one of my first real personal application lessons on that was taught to me by Sister Nuttall when I was called to be ward organist with Amanda - she taught us how important it is to not only play the organ for the songs, but come early to have the organ playing while people enter the chapel, to continue playing on a different, quieter register if the priests haven't finished breaking the bread by the time we've finished the song to keep the spirit strong, to play a couple postlude tunes right after the closing prayer to keep the spirit of the Sacrament meeting present. Although I may not have understood the importance of those little details when I was taught them, I now see their application in the big picture in all callings of the church. Every calling can be magnified and can contribute to a ward or branch that works magically together. Here on my  mission I have seen how much it helps the work when a ward mission leader or branch president or relief society president or hymnbook putter-awayer magnifies their calling and it has inspired me to do so likewise for the rest of my life, in addition to magnifying  my missionary calling now.

I'm so glad to hear that the concert went well - how fun that must have been! As I'm here typing I've been hearing "Joseph and Mary" and "Sleepy Little Town" and other songs waft in from Sister Bohne's desk - she loves your music, too, Aunt Cori! What a wonderful opportunity to feel the spirit, though!

So now for a couple answers to your questions:

1.  Will Starsis Knapp and Clyde be putting together a Christmas card again this year or will they be too busy?  It sure was fun to get last year. - We have actually been working on it for the past couple weeks and it is done and printed! Neither Elder Clyde nor Knapp knew how to use the editing programs (I don't blame them, I wouldn't either if I just opened it!), so I did all the technical work putting it together with creative direction and input from Elder Knapp and President and Elder Coleman. I think the end result is great, and hope you love it, too!

2.  Are there any last minute requests for your Christmas box? - thanks for the info on the packages, I'll keep my eye out haha! You're too good to us here in the office. President thinks that you must own shares in See's Candy haha. I actually had been thinking of one thing that I would like for Christmas, if it's not too much trouble. I know that time is short coming up on the Christmas season, but being here on my mission has caused my mind to reflect often on the conversion process and how individual it is for each person. So I was wondering if it wouldn't be too much trouble if you could, if you haven't already, write out your conversion stories. I'd love to read them and get a little closer to both of you in that way. I several times have also shared your conversion story (or what I remember of it), Tata, with members and investigators and potential investigators and I'd love to be able to share with them your story exactly how you remember it. I know that's a bit of bigger request than some specific candy, but that would be something I truly would treasure here. If you don't have enough time over this busy holiday season, don't worry, I totally understand. But yeah, that's just an idea! Sure do love you both!

3.  We sent Sister Brimhall a message on her blog.  Are there any other missionaries besides Durrant, Tenney, and Bean who will be going home mid transfer?  - Yes, Sister Izatt will be returning early for school on December 28th. So Elders Durrant, Tenney, and Sister Bean will return the 18th and then Sister Izatt, and then nobody until late January. 

4.  It was fun to see Medonich and Heath as zone leaders...so fun to watch your "crowd" become the leaders in the mission.  Such a growth experience for all of you.  Since you have been with Elder Coleman for a while now, could you please share with us the qualities you have come to admire in your companion... - Oh, I'd love to! Let me tell you a bit more about Elder Coleman. He is totally on top of things and wants to use every moment to its utmost. He's taught me a lot about how to serve President and the missionaries in our responsibility, in addition to teaching me how to give myself up more fully to the Lord. He is an example to me of a person who has found joy in the work through working well and diligently. He studies diligently and I really appreciate his patience with me - whether we have a day that went exactly according to plan or a day when lessons fall through left and right, he is constant in his devotion to the Lord and to the work and has trust that the work will move on. He's also funny - he has a wonderful sense of humor and we often have very funny conversations in President's office between the 3 of us as we talk about the mission. We work well together in the field as well as getting along together as friends, which is a wonderful relationship to have in the mission field. He has and demonstrates a sincere love for our investigators and gives wonderful compliments that are frequent but not insincere. He is an absolute joy to serve with and I find it a great privilege that we are serving together for the second time in a row together. I hope that gives you a better picture of the caliber of missionary I get to serve with now and I can't wait for you to meet him one day!

5.  How are the plans for the concert coming?  Did the music work out?  Anything else you need? - The concert plans are under way, we're having a rehearsal session on Wednesday this week with all the missionaries involved - the music worked out great, thanks! Now I'm just not sure about how many labels we'll need - I'll try to get a count of how many copies we'll need and send you the number next week. Thanks so much! That's all I can really think of for now.

6.  Tell us about your teaching this week both to missionaries and investigators...it's the best!! - OK, so now for some stories of the week! We have met with the one of our investigators 3 times this week and they are progressing wonderfully. Yet another investigator is excited for baptism and in our lesson on Sunday at a member's home we committed one of our other invetigators and she also accepted! They're both going to come to church again on Sunday and love it - one of them likes to sing and she said that her favorite part is the hymns that we sing. Continue to pray for them, as they are going through a big change in their lives - but they are wonderful people and we're excited for their baptism at the end of the month! 

We had another meeting with another investigator, which went well. She's also coming to church on Sunday and we pray that she will continue to feel the spirit in our lessons. She's still very new to faith and religion, but she told us in our meeting yesterday that she loves the feeling in our lessons and at church, like it's one big family. I have to agree!

We also taught our young adult investigator and he is doing great! He came to the baptism last weekend and enjoyed it, and we had another lesson yesterday and he's coming to church on Sunday! He's cool and likes learning about the gospel, so we pray that he'll continue to learn and grow and eventually be able to make that covenant of baptism with his Heavenly Father.

The last thing I want to share is the miracles that are happening right now in my "birth town" - Plzen. We had Zone Leader council yesterday and we talked for a bit with the Plzen zone leaders about everything that is going on. It's absolutely amazing. There have been 12 baptisms in that not-so-little-anymore branch this year alone and the activity rate is 100%. Not one of them is less active. In addition, many less-actives have been reactivated, including (as I found out)  a less active who Elder Egger and I started working with when I was there. He is now coming to church regularly and preparing for the Melchizedek priesthood. We found out that there were 54 people at church last Sunday. What a miracle - I remember my first Sunday there with attendance of 18 and stand all amazed. There is a powerful spirit and excitement in that branch and it will always be close to my heart. I just love the work here - it is a work of miracles!

I hear now "Give Thanks" coming in from Sister Bohne's desk and just feel I need to give thanks for everything that you have done and do for me. I truly believe that the greatest joy in this world is to be found in the family, and the greatest joy in family life is achieved when founded upon the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. Family is what it's all about, and that's why I'm here. Sometimes people will ask us when we talk with them "if family is so important to you, why aren't you there now? Why are you here?" I share with them the amazing promises and blessings of the gospel and say that I'm here to share that joy with others so they can also have that joy in their relationships. What a true blessing the Gospel is!

So now we'll be off to the center to find a study journal and some new shoes (the european ones I bought have worn out and President told me I should buy some new ones haha...obedience is key, so I'll get some new ones haha.) and take a look at the trhy. Perhaps I'll find a nativity! We shall see. Just know that I love you and pray for you all often. I am so grateful to be a missionary of the Czech/Slovak mission and see these miracles come to pass. I love my Savior and Heavenly Father and I love you all. Merry Christmas!

Until next week,

S laskou,

Starsi Mullen