Time for a Change?

TERESA - Hi Ya!
(4/11) This week has been so nice. But I have been really wiped out lately. A LOT has been going on! We had interviews with President this week (I know I've said this before but I LOVE interviews!) I always get the help I need from them. And I always come out of those feeling better :) But our training was on how cleanliness is next to Godliness, haha so needless to say we spent a lot of time cleaning our flat this morning! But it's always nice and refreshing to live in a clean environment. But I've already been taught how to clean thoroughly by an excellent mother so I feel I am ahead of the game!

OK, so this entry is different! It is now Monday the 18th, I started writing this letter last Monday but had NO time! Sorry mom! But here's the deal (oh my goodness life is crazy right now!) we got our moves call and I am moving out of Edinburgh! Nooooo! I am so sad to be leaving. But I know I need to go but I've only been here for 3 months and I'm not used to leaving an area so soon, since I've spent the whole 1st half of my mission in my first area. But I know why I was here even for this short time. I know I was meant to be companions with Sister Woolley even if it was just for a moves. I needed to serve with her and visa versa. After all, we ARE cuzzies! But also we needed to be here together to get the area going again. When Sister Woolley came, the area was totally dead. But we worked our little bums off to get the standard of excellence of QGC's for a week and we did! For a few weeks actually! Then as a result of that now we have 6 new investigators that were found through our efforts with the help of the Lord!! Wow, it is truly amazing! So I know we were meant to pick up the area again and serve with each other while we were at it. It is really sad though to leave once things have just gotten started but I am so excited for the new sisters that will be serving here. You read that right, sisters. This area is being whitewashed with new sister missionaries! Sister Woolley is leaving as well! She is going to be follow up trained in Bangor, Northern Ireland! Mental! I did NOT see that coming at all! So unfortunately we both won't be a part of these amazing investigators' progression in the gospel, but I guess it doesn't matter.  As long as they come to the complete knowledge of the truth of this gospel, it doesn't matter who's here teaching them. Although it would be nice to be here and witness it, I know that I am needed somewhere else. Apparently in my new area they just had a baptism and 2 investigators at church! So there is much to look forward to :) Eastkilbride is where I'm going and it is in Scotland in the outskirts of Glasgow. Apparently it is pretty rough over there but I know I'll be able to handle it! I'm tougher than I look! haha.  But it is exciting. I am going to be senior companion to Sister Baxter (her trainer is leaving her). I only met her once but she seems really nice.

But here is the situation! Pretty sure it is totally Murphy's Law today because we had loads of appts to go to and loose ends to tie before leaving and what happens but Sister Woolley trips and falls wrong on her ankle! And I felt them and lets just say that the one she fell wrong on doesn't at all feel like the other. Needless to say we went to the mission home and Sister Griffiths and the office Sisters have been helping her out. We think it's a sprain or a pulled muscle or something but she is to stay off it and see if it gets better by tomorrow (gosh I hope it does!). So that's the deal. We are here right now in the mission home e-mailing our families and such. With moves coming up, this has definitely been a monkey wrench in our plans! I hope she feels better, I would hate this if it happened to me, but Sister Woolley is quite the trooper, she has totally toughed it out! What a star :)

Well anyway, I want you all to know that I LOVE this work! I have truly learned about charity and have grown to love the most amazing people out here!! I am so happy that I have had this opportunity to meet these wonderful children of God!! How blessed am I? I could not believe it when somebody told me today that I had been out a year next month! What?! No way, I can't be that far yet. And I can NOT be that close to coming home. No offense my lovely family and friends but I'm not ready to leave my home yet! The thought of seeing you all is too close, to be honest, it totally freaks me out! haha But one brilliant experience on how we can see our work changing lives happened last night. We went to say goodbye to Annie & Ahmad, our investigator Iranian couple that immigrated to Scotland. They are amazing and they are so eager to learn about Christianity. They have only been exposed to Islam and are looking to know more. We gave them Persian Books of Mormon and are ordering more Persian materials! We stopped by them and they were grateful that we had come to say bye. As we were about to leave they said, "We had a question actually that we wanted to ask you. How did you find us?" As we explained to them that we prayed to our Heavenly Father to find the people that were ready to receive our message, tears swelled in their eyes. Annie kept saying "oh my gosh" and Ahmad could only muster out a few "wows". They were truly touched and  I couldn't help but be brought to tears as well. What a special experience!! I know they will come to embrace the Gospel of Jesus Christ and will eventually go to the temple and be sealed for all time and eternity!

I know that this gospel is truly what it is defined as-good news. It ONLY brings a happiness, joy and peace that no other source on this earth can give anyone! I know that our Heavenly Father loves all of us so very much and He really wants us to progress and be better, the BEST versions of ourselves. As I listened to a talk this Sunday a wonderful member, Patti Lui, said something that really struck me. She said, "I am so grateful for a Heavenly Father who loves me enough to give me trials so that I can go through the refiners fire and become more perfect. My trials are my blessings." At that thought I couldn't help feel overwhelmed by the love of my Father in Heaven and my Savior Jesus Christ. I am special in their eyes. Everyone of us is. And if we get hard things, in NO way does that mean He has changed how He feels about us. He is unchanging, the same yesterday, today and forever. So He will ALWAYS love us. That is exactly why He allows us to go through the hard stuff, because He loves us so very much. We HAVE to always remember that.

Thank you to everyone who has shown their love for my amazing sister and I through prayers and letters, we are very grateful for you! We love you more than we have words to tell you. I am indeed sorry that I am a very bad letter writer! I love getting your mail but unfortunately I can't seem to find the time to respond! Please know that I really enjoy your letters, they are wonderful!! Also mom and dad, I am going to send another picture CD to you (sorry mom! Thanks for loving me enough to put up with them!!) that way you can see my adventures here in Edinburgh! Love you all.

Love Always, Sister Teresa Kullick