Letter #35: so far... BEST WEEK OF THE YEAR!

Dearest Family! It's been a good week. D** J**** was baptized and will be confirmed tomorrow. What a blessing to see the prepared find the joy of the gospel. We've been able to teach some people from Nigeria and Ghana this week which has been very fun! What incredible people! So humble and have so much love for the Savior. We also took a couple (one LDS one Catholic) through God's Plan on Sunday. J****** (the non-member wife) asked how the temple enables us to be together forever and how it's different. I know the spirit really touched her, she referred to meet with missionaries and we set up a phone appointment with her for Wednesday. Unfortunately her daughter was sick in the hospital that night, so we talked to her husband today. He said what a miracle it was that she agreed to be taught (again) and although she's very hesitant about some things, I pray that we'll be able to help this wonderful couple. It's hard. I think the saddest experiences I've seen on my mission have been from couples that are not both in the same faith. The heartbreak they feel as they want to be with that loved one forever, and knowing what they know about temples... but because the other one doesn't agree they are denied that comfort and blessing. How Don prays every day for her to understand. He just pleads. He told us today how he thought it would be different with them because she's so wonderful (because she is!), but it's not. It's the same and it's the same heartbreak. I pray they'll be able to find the joy of having an eternal family. Even already apparently that film she saw has inspired her to spend more time with her kids and it's been beneficial so it's amazing! Anyways, I'm just so grateful that in our family, so many of you have been able to find a worthy priesthood holder to take you to the Temple. It's just the equation to happiness in this life and the life to come. What a blessing. I'm excited to do all I can to help this family, and all others who'll listen, to find this same joy! One funny thing I got to do this week was help the Sister Rodriguez and Sister Bryers (the APs who we've nicknames asAPs, because everything they say needs to be done ASAP haha) move two armchairs frrom the 70s, a couch and table and several chairs across temple square and throughout the North Visitors Center. Picture 4 "buff-as-I-am" sister missionaries hauling couches across the temple square and visitors center at night... it was pretty hilarious to say the least. Sister Lane may have broken her finger in the process (which is not funny). Oh the random jobs you do as OAs (office assistants) but I love it! haha We had an incredible leadership training on Thursday in the Relief Society Building. GORGEOUS! It just reflects everything feminine and wonderful that a daughter of God should be. I know Heavenly Father truly loves his daughters, and I felt that while there. We talked about LOTS of things in the training, but we also got to explore the building for a quick break and apparently to build it they had to raise 1/2 the funds and the rest the brethren would assist. So they asked all RS sister worldwide to contribute $5 (which was a lot for the time!). They have these books which contain the names of every sister that contributed the $5 and showed their great faith in obedience. I found 1 Mullen, 2 Jubbers, many Armstrongs, Harveys, but no Shoekels from what I saw. It made me really want to be in on my family history! Perhaps my great-grandparents contributed. I'm trying to remember for sure, but I think for Jubbers it was a Maude and Mable. I recognized the names and I'm fairly positive that's our family, right?! I was very excited, but sad I couldn't remember for sure. I need to be better at knowing all these things! I'm forgetting already (I'll have to go back and double check and let you all know these names again for the Mullen side too! I only had a second to skim so I can't remember too well) But Anyways, it was a special experience as I recognized these names (forgive my forgetfulness) but the RS is a special bond within our family for sure. Especially since we've been blessed with so many wonderful woman in our family! Well I better go. My love to you all! Thanks for your prayers. I feel them! Love, Love, Love, Sister Mullen 3 Nephi 9:14