Sister Peterson's dog

TERESA - Hello Hello!!

How are you all doing? I hope you are doing swell! Things are looking pretty snazzy over here in East Kilbride Scotland! I.S. passed his interview this Sunday and is getting baptized this Thursday the 28!!! I am so excited for it! It has been amazing to see his coming along in the gospel. He is really looking forward to it as well and has invited people to come, so hopefully we will meet them! And the ward has been very supportive with everything. Everyone I talked to has said that they'd come on Thursday! Success! Haha Ok now onto my week...

Tuesday was quite the day. We had gone emailing at lunch and Sis Peterson had gotten some bad news. Her family dog that she'd had since she can remember had to be put down. Needless to say she was a little upset. But having gone through a similar experience I totally understood. She wasn't exactly in the right state to go finding which is what we had planned to do after. So I said we should go back to the flat for a bit till she felt a little bit better. She felt good about that as well since she didn't want to be crying while stopping people! After we'd taken that time we went out to our next appointment to meet these 2 potentials that we had found a few days before. While we were waiting no one showed up so we decided to carry out the plans we had originally put in place for after email - finding. As we were waiting for the bus we were in line and there was a girl standing behind us (about our age) and Sister Peterson complimented her flower in her hair. She was super nice and friendly but we were moved along on the bus. I felt like we should talk to her but it seemed that opportunity had passed. We were kind of lost on the bus, we hadn't been there before and we weren't to sure about which stop to get off at. But we decided to get off before we got anymore lost. As we were getting off, who gets off too but that same girl from earlier? I asked for her help with directions and then we talked to her about the gospel. Her name is J. and she definitely believes in God but struggles in the hard times. She was so cheerful and bubbly and wanted to see us again! We set up an appointment and called and confirmed so it's on! Honestly though, a whole lot of things had to occur to make this happen that never would've originally. If Sis Peterson's dog hadn't died and we'd gone back to the flat then we would've gone finding out there and missed meeting J.! Sis Peterson sees that it is all thanks to her dog, haha. No but seriously, after we'd met J. and we stood there for a bit and walked around the area we were in, we felt like there was no reason to be out there anymore. Like we had fulfilled our purpose because it was to meet this girl! And we topped the day off at dinner with the Lang's!! I LOVE that family. It was a very good day!

Wednesday we got to see P. and her family! We went to their house and talked with her and her sons, A. and J. We also saw her two girls T. and M. It was really nice. They are doing so much better and A. is recovering really well! We had a really good natural talk with them about their lives and how the gospel could only help it and enhance it. They are really so positive about hearing our message when they definitely shy away from what other churches think! We have set up a time to see them next week and really sit down with them a talk about the Plan of Salvation. I am excited!! That day we also had an excellent lesson with Brother I.S.! We talked about daily prayer and scripture study. Those are the areas he's weakest in, at least the daily prayer part. We had Sister Buchanan and Brother Irvine there and they bore powerful testimony! And we really drove this home using the scriptures. All the times in the past I try to explain it myself and it makes no impact! So I'm glad I figured it out and used the most powerful tool I have - The Book of Mormon! Better late then never right? He really got it. In his closing prayer he said how much now he really sees how daily prayer and scriptures study is the ONLY way he's going to find his answers! Right on! It was great. Then we had dinner with a few ward members, The Lewis's and then taught Brother McCafferty! Not a bad day at all :)

Thursday was kind of lame at first. Our finding for this past week has been dismal and so that was the definite trend on Thursday! Not good but we did go out to Sister Lloyd's and she took us out for Chinese! She is SO great! I love her too! And as we were traveling back, whom did we run into but P! He is a former investigator who just fell away on us. But we talked with him and got an appointment set up to see him. How neat!

We had another lesson with Brother I.S. on Friday and we had Sister Buchanan there and also Brother Thompson, the High Priest Group Leader. We showed The Restoration DVD and it was amazing as always. Our joint teaches bore excellent testimonies and I. said that he felt uplifted and we later explained to him that that was the spirit. He was happy to hear that!

Sunday was wonderful! The talks were so well done. Brother Robert Hay, a recent convert, gave his first talk and it was so great! Sister Green gave one as well and she did marvelously. Brother S. had his baptismal interview and he made it! We then talked about Lehi's Dream and the watched Finding Faith in Christ. It was a really good Sabbath.

But yeah, that was pretty much my week! Sister Peterson and I are getting on more and more as time progresses! She is really great and honestly is NOT at all like a greenie! She's a natural pro :) But yes, things are going smoothly and by the way, the weather has been terrific! Really sunny with hardly any clouds in the sky. Sometimes I have to remember that it's still Scotland! Man, I love this place!

I love you all!!! Thank you for everything you do! Rach and I are too lucky to have such great family and friends! I love you!

Love Always, Sister Teresa Kullick

Trouble with Teenagers?

RACHEL - Dear Familia!

How is everyone today? I hope very well because the weather here has been sunny and warm (most of the time). This week was a fairly simple week full of tender mercies and miracles as always :)

On Monday evening was a great miracle. All of our three appointments fell through, but we stuck to our back up plans and went by to call a Potential Investigator on a certain road. As we were walking to the house I stopped a woman in her front yard to share more with her - she wasn't interested but then Sister Bibb asked for a Referral. Every night during Nightly Planning Sister Bibb and I pick a Referral Question to ask to people that day and on Monday it was, "Our message is really all about families, who do you know that may be having trouble with teenagers?" And the woman pointed to a house a further down the street and said, "But don't tell them I sent you." So we knocked and were let into a home with 8 children and a single mother! We have just begun to share more about the Gospel to them this past week and so we are very excited to see where this will take us!

On Tuesday we had our specialized training and Interviews and they have completely made it a focus of no rote presentation of the First Lesson. I have to admit that I then did realize that I caught myself in that trap and so this training was needed! At first when they were presenting this to us the phrase, "You can't teach an old dog new tricks" kept entering into my mind, but as I began to teach more to the "you" this past week, we have seen miracles! Now don't misunderstand me, I always try my very hardest to teach to the individuals needs and to try to resolve them, but I suppose over time you can get into a habit of saying or teaching in one way and therefore making it a rote memorized presentation. 

I’ve met the Prestons already a month ago - right when they arrived at a Zone Conference, but at this training was when we got a one on one personal interview. We sat down and he had me open with prayer and had two of my weekly letters there printed out with him. He mentioned some of the great experiences I had those past weeks and then proceeded to ask me questions. He had me tell him about my family and had no idea that I had a twin sister in Scotland on a mission right now and was so happy to hear it! It was a very pleasant discussion and it was a great way to get to know him more! Sister Preston is lovely as well and I will get a better chance to get to know her at a Sisters Meeting we are have on the 3rd of August! It will be focusing on some of the new dress and grooming guidelines for Sister Missionaries, which is really bright and colorful, and I would recommend taking a look at it on LDS.org under Missionary Service. For me though, I feel it is too late for me! Haha Since this last transfer I am the oldest in the mission and the thought makes my jaw drop. Sister Bibb asked me today how long I feel I have been out for and I said maybe about 7 months haha

I also experienced something wonderful on my mission that I have never experienced before! One of my Recent Converts, Sister H. that I helped teach and see baptize, taught a lesson in Relief Society! It was sooo incredible! She taught the lesson on "Going About Doing Good", I was so proud of her as she stood up there and taught with ease and confidence. It is truly amazing to witness a full complete conversion process of an individual from the beginning to, well not quite the end but almost :)

We were blessed to reach the standard of New Investigators this week, but I have been feeling that there is always room to improve. We now have an investigator with the baptismal date of August the 13th! His name is D.B. Apparently he attended General Conference years ago in London and loved it. And so we taught him on Saturday and then he came to church on Sunday! We are grateful for the opportunity to teach such wonderful people!

Well I hope everyone is well and I love you all! Thank you for all the love and support given to Teresa and I throughout our missions!

Love always, Sister Rachel Kullick

P.S. I sent two packages home today and if you could just let me know when you get them and put them in the closet that would be great! Just planners and letters! Thank you!

SURPRISE! Smoke alarm at 6:20 a.m.!

TERESA - Hello Hello!

First of all, how's everybody doing? I hope you are all doing splendidly! My past week has been pretty crazy but nice as well.

Monday was a day of getting things sorted for Sister Baxty leaving me to go to Johnstone :(. We went and visited some families for her to say bye. We also had FHE at Bro. D.'s home. Everyone was there including I.S., our investigator! We watched the end of President Hinckley's birthday DVD ha-ha, it was interesting!

Tuesday was so fun! It was Baxty's birthday so I tried to make it a little more special for her. I got up earlier and decorated the flat with birthday banners and some balloons (I thought it was pretty neat looking actually :)! ) Then I attempted to make French toast and the smoke alarm went off! Of course that would happen to me at 6:20 in the morning! Ha-ha but Baxty woke up and helped me stop the alarm and was so surprised. I put candles on two cupcakes we'd made the night before and sang happy birthday for her. I also made her a card that told her how much I LOVE her! It was nice. I made the French toast and it turned out really well! Then we went finding and then the rest of the day was a surprise. I took her to Sister G.'s and they threw her a little surprise lunch. Then we went and taught Brother I.S. a lesson on the law of chastity. It went soooo well! He said in his prayer how important it is to keep ALL of the commandments! Gosh, he's progressed so much! It's been a pleasure teaching him. Then we went out to the L.'s (one of the best families ever and they made her a giant cupcake! It was so good to be there :) After we had dinner at Pizza Hut with the E. family and they totally got her the best cake ever! You know, it wasn't even my birthday and it was the greatest! Ha-ha She really loved it and I was glad about that. :)

Wednesday morning Sister Baxter got dropped off to Johnstone as I went to the mission home. It was really sad to see her go, not going to lie. I was a little tired but Heavenly Father seriously gave me the strength I needed for the day so that I could be my enthusiastic self! I went to the training meeting and it was great as always to see everybody there again! It was not as small a group as it was before, last time I trained, but it was still rather tiny. They selected my sister and I got Sister Peterson! I thought it was funny that I was getting another Sister Peterson again. The first one I "killed" off and this one was being "born" into the mission! I thought that was funny. But she is really sweet. She is from Salt Lake City Utah located in Holliday. She is one of 9 kids and she is the youngest! She is actually already 22 and will be turning 23 in August. She is a natural for sure. She really wants to focus on the people and really adapt to teaching people not lessons. But it's been really good so far serving with her! I never fail at seeing what a humbling experience training is. You seriously have to get rid of any shred of pride and do exactly what the Lord wants you to do. I'm so grateful for this experience! But the training process is sooo different now. We are the first group in the mission to do it differently! So this was a curve ball thrown at me thinking I had some idea of how to train since I'd done it before. We are to really focus on Preach My Gospel. We are to have an additional hour of companionship study and to watch the PMG DVDs! It's been great so far! I have been learning loads and hopefully applying it to be a better teacher :). But anyways, after we left from Edinburgh we had dinner at the T. family with Sister G. and the B. family. It was good to throw Sis Peterson right in there to meet a few of the members already. I know for me, I always love meeting loads of members before Sunday, that way I already have an idea of who people are at church.

Thursday and Friday were great! We went out finding and little miracles happened! We reached our goal of QGC's and found some potentials that we are really excited about seeing this week! We are also doing a better job at making sure Brother I.S. is being fellowshipped by the ward members, especially the Elders Quorum. We have had some great teaches with more members of the ward with him. We showed him the testimonies of the apostles and he LOVED them! He said that he wanted to bear his testimony to us of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon and keeping the commandments! It was amazing! He is progressing in leaps and bounds! When we first met him he wasn't even sure if he believed in God now he's praying to him and wants so much to follow his teachings! He's way excited for his baptism and is inviting all the ward members and is going to invite his friends and family! We are totally excited! Those will be great teaching opportunities!! We also had a lesson with another investigator named P. She is really great but it's a slower process with her. She is still trying to figure out if Jesus Christ is really the Son of God. So we are working with her on that. We taught her the Restoration and she said that she would still have to think about it but that she would definitely read and pray. She's very willing and open, so that is nice.

Monday was terrific! It was Zone Development and the Assistants to the President were there again! It always adds a different feeling when they are present. We talked about being enthusiastic about the work. They even asked us, Sister Peterson and I to do a training model in front of the whole zone! They did a dull and boring QGC and we followed after with an enthusiastic one. It was hilarious! They said they choose us because I'm very enthusiastic! Ha-ha how nice right? I'm glad that's what they see me as! But anyway, we had some zone games and all that and finished off the day with some finding and FHE. This was probably one of the BEST family home evenings ever! We talked about Samuel the Lamanite and everyone participated. We played some really fun games after and we all had a great time. It's been really good lately! But that is the update with me!

Ok mom, I got your Personal Progress thing (Cary - I have been working on the Young Womens Personal Progress in Relief Society) that you asked me to do. I loved D&C 11:12-14 the best. I read all of them but this one just struck me. The Spirit is the most important thing we can obtain. It leads us and guides us to become Christlike, to become perfect. And the Lord wants us to have it! He wants us to be so happy :). And if we receive this spirit and show endless faith and trust in Him, then ALL of our righteous desires will be given to us! How great is that? We have the MOST loving Heavenly Father and Savior. I'd say that the Holy Ghost helped my desire to serve a mission. And it was the BEST choice ever! I know the Holy Ghost helped me throughout my life to make this goal a reality. Without it, I seriously wouldn't be here. Thank goodness I am!

I love you all! Thank you for all of your help and love and kindness! You all mean so much to Rachie and I!!

Love Always, Sister Teresa Kullick

P.S. Thank you so much for that letter you sent me in response to my concerns. I REALLY needed that. I totally cried while reading it, imagining you telling it to me. Thank you, I love you SO much.

No place I'd rather be!

RACHEL - Hello Family and Friends,

How is everyone? I hope everyone is doing great! I got Dad's tape and that was very nice of course and as always mom your letter you loyally send every week! Thank you for them both! I was writing my email last week but then the computer just logged me off and shut down... so that's why I didn't send one.

There are a couple of miracles and experiences I would like to share with you these past couple of weeks.  These past two weeks have been surprisingly warm weather even till dark, which has been a nice change. We decided to go to the Temple this last Wednesday because those are rare opportunities to attend. We had planned to go to the Chorley/Preston Temple and go at 9am. Well we were running a little late out the door of our flat to get to the Swinton Train station so we ran all the way to the station. One thing to keep in mind is how these past two weeks we have been running practically every night to get home in time for 9pm curfew, so needless to say we were pretty tired of running. But we ran anyway and made it in time for the train. Then when we had arrived in Chorley (home sweet home) the train was a tad later than anticipated so we had to run the entire way from the Chorley Train Station to the Preston Temple. Now it was very warm about at this time and we were running as hard and as fast as we could and it almost seemed impossible that we would make it in time. I even stopped running at one point and thought to myself, There is not point, we have just the amount of time to make it in a minute before 9 am but we would already be late by that time. But something in me told me to keep running. So as I power walked through the Temple doors and breathlessly (and desperately I might add) and with a prayer in my heart that we would be able to make it, asked if we made it in time. The two Temple Workers behind the desk looked at us with this painful regret in their eyes and said no. My goodness I was desperately looking for a miracle because we would've had to wait another hour but we really wouldn't have been able to do that since we wouldn't have had enough time to get our shopping and emailing done as well. But lo and behold, the miracle arrives as the main lead coordinator of the temple who I spent my entire New Years Day with him and his wife and whom I love dearly walks in from the Temple. (By the way I never have seen him since my service in Chorley every time I have gone to the Temple since. Brother Holm then tells us with this huge smile on his face to take our time and they will hold the session for us. I was overcome with joy and that was a miracle to me that day. We worked so hard to get to the temple and the Lord recognized our efforts and helped us out. Oh how grateful I am for a Perfect Father in Heaven who knows me perfectly and my needs!

Another experience I had was when we went to teach our New Recent Convert Sister H.C.P. We were going to teach her about missionary work but then forgot our material. So as we arrive we ask Sister H. if she has any questions or concerns on her mind at this time that we could try to help her with. She expressed to us that every time she is at church, with the other Relief Society Sisters or with us missionaries she feels the spirit strongly, but when she is let in her home alone she doesn't feel it as much. She knows her home is supposed to be as sacred as a temple and so we then asked, "Well Sister H. look around, what do you think may be preventing the Spirit in your home?" She felt directed to her bedroom where a very large DVD collection on shelves were placed. We then proceeded to take all of the ones that were inappropriate and throw them out. I learned a very valuable lesson that night. As I watched Sister H. decide for herself which DVD's she was not going to allow in her home, she didn't even want to take the least bit of risk with any chance or inappropriate content within them. I watched as she threw ones out that I myself would have rationalized or justified to keep. That I would have thought to myself, well this isn't that bad and ones that are actually quite popular in the world. She was a great example to me of how we can make our homes as temples. How can we do that when we allow the adversary to have room in our home through our TV? I want to strive to be better.

A Miracle that happened at church yesterday was amazing! Sister Bibb and I weren't expecting any Investigators to come to church but who do we see walk in? Not any of our investigators but two young boys who Sister Bibb met on the bus the other day and invited them to church and they came! But it does not stop there! After Sacrament Meeting we met a mother, daughter and son who have just moved here two weeks ago from Zimbabwe and just walked in on their own into the church and decided that they want to come here every Sunday now! How miraculous is that?! So then we set up an appointment to see them this week and gave them copies of the Book of Mormon to them so they could have to read. Apparently the mother's Father had attended an LDS church and had told them to attend it for themselves. Seeds have been planted and how grateful I am for the members and missionaries who share the gospel in little ways that have a lasting effect on future generations to come. I want to make that kind of difference.

I am grateful for the opportunity I have to give this time and attention fully and solely to the Lord's Gospel and work. I am grateful to be a full time missionary. I am very grateful for the support from all the ward and family and friends who helped Teresa and I get here. I love this work! I love this gospel! There is NO place else I would rather be. Thank you so much! Love you all and take care.

Love always, Sister Rachel Kullick

P.s. Congratulations to Steph and Derek! I got a copy of their wedding Invite and I am so happy for them!

Run for your lives!

 Manchester Museum in Piccadilly Gardens

 Manchester Museum in Piccadilly Gardens

 The sunset is from my window from our flat in Swinton

 Me by my old flat in Chorley :) 

Training Again!

TERESA - Hey Family!!

So our mission got permission today to e-mail you all so you would know what the moves calls are!! And thank goodness too because a lot of things have happened. First with the VERY bad news. Sister Baxter is leaving me. I cannot even tell you how extremely bummed I am! Honestly guys, she has become one of my best friends, not just in the mission but in life! I will miss her sooo much and things just won't be the same here in East Kilbride without her. But the good news is that she is moving to Paisley, a neighboring Zone, and that means I'll be able to see her if we have a duo zone meetings! And she will hopefully be able to come to Ian's baptism! So that will be good! Now for the VERY unexpected news....I am staying here and I will be training again!! I cannot even tell you how shocked I was when President told me. Honestly, I really didn't think I'd be called to do it again. But I am actually very excited about it. It was hard before but very rewarding and I will be looking forward to doing it again :). But I won't know who I am getting till Wednesday so I'll let you know on the following Monday. But I do know that two of the sisters are from Utah and one is from Canada, there are only 3! Wow I am just shocked that the Lord wanted me to be one of those trainers. It is a small group overall and there are only 5 Elders coming in as well I think. But I am very happy! Please pray for me as I try my best at this again! Thank you!

On to the week! I.S., our investigator, is progressing soooo well now! He has a date set for this month on the 28 and I'll be here to see it! Wahoo! Also, this will be sooo great for a new missionary! I had this experience when I first arrived and it really gets you excited! But anyway, he's doing wonderfully. He came to church this Sunday and really liked it again. He's also keeping all his commitments too! He's determined to keep the Word of Wisdom and has been doing so for about a week! We taught him the Law of Tithing and before we even started I asked him what he thought about the idea of tithing. And he said this: "Well, it's the sure way to prove that God and your fellowman are more important to you than money or material things." Wow! I LOVED that answer! It is sooo true! But he comes out with stuff like that ALL the time! Like when we ask him to keep a commitment he always says stuff like, "I really see no reason why I shouldn't, yes, of course I'll do it!" And Sister Baxter and I will just look at each other thinking is this even real? Haha It has been a wonderful experience. So he is on track to be baptized this month! Honestly guys, this is what I have been waiting for and it's happening! I am so glad I get to be apart of this here in East Kilbride!

Also we celebrated the 4th of July by Going to Loch Lomond! It was so great! Sister Green took us and Sister Buchanan on our P-day and the weather was roasting hot. It was excellent! 6 other Elders met us there and we all had a really fun time. So now I can say I've been to the bonnie banks of Loch Lomond! Haha Sister Green wanted that day to be special, especially since Independence Day is my favorite holiday! She took us out to dinner at Frankie & Benny's, a New York restaurant! How nice of her! It was very delicious. Sister Green was so cute too; she kept asking the hostess and server if they had any American flags for this special holiday! Haha We thought it was great!

I also got a letter from Rachie!! I was soooooooooooo happy to get one from her and I sent a tape off before that so hopefully she'll have it by now. Gosh, I love her so much and I really hope all is going well for her in England :).

We visited P. again this past week and we met her son, A.! It was so great to see them all there, feeling better. A. looked like he was recovering really well and he was sooo positive about everything! Man, that never ceases to amaze me. P. was a little bit busier than usual, helping the girls out and such but we talked to Antony and got to know him a bit better. And it was great cause we were able to talk about the restoration with him a bit. And he was interested in learning as well and coming to church! We are so happy and hopefully it will all work out as time goes on.

Ok, I want to tell you a little bit more about our experiences with I.S. and how things were able to progress. As you know from my previous letter, things weren't looking to great and we were really worried that he was going to drop us or something. The next time we saw him he'd improved drastically. Apparently a friend of his passed away this week of a drug overdose and it really hit him. He said that he wanted to be a Christian and to finally get rid of all the bad habits/things he does. We had expected to give a lesson on prayer and scripture study but that quickly changed to talking about the Gospel of Jesus Christ, particularly baptism. He realized that he needed to be baptized but he wasn't willing to accept a date just then. But then I had an amazing experience! The Holy Ghost truly brought to my remembrance the perfect scripture to read. Now, I'm not good at ALL with references so this was ALL the spirit! I always wanted this experience: D&C 100:6 "For it shall be given you in the very hour, yea, in the very moment, what ye shall say." And it happened! I kept thinking as he was speaking that he wants to be baptized but how can we let him really feel that he should. Immediately the scripture, "what have ye against being baptized?" came into my head. And then the reference followed so clearly: Mosiah 18:8-10. We read that and Ian then said that he had absolutely NO arguments against this scripture. He said, how that scripture put it, it made him really see it in a different light. We invited him to be baptized and he said yes! We invited him to do it this month on the 28th and he said yes! He said he wants to do this and not look back. It was a little amazing miracle.

But it is Sister Baxter's birthday on Tuesday! She will be turning 22! I am so glad I get to spend it with her before she goes! I've always wanted to be companions with someone on their birthday and with Sister Baxter, that is even better! I have planned a fun day for her! I'm going to decorate the flat and make her French toast! I've also scheduled in special member apps where they are going to celebrate her birthday! I made sure it was the members whom she loves, that way it's even better! Gosh, I'm so excited for it! Hopefully it will all work out! But shhhhh. It's a secret, she has no idea! Haha

But really, I am so glad I got to serve with her, we have had so many great heart to hearts. I learn so much from our talks. We know that all the people we’ve served will forget us. Maybe not by the special few, but the vast majority will no remember our names or us. But that's ok. I rest assured knowing that I'm not wasting ANY of my efforts on people who will forget all about me. Because I'm serving one who will ALWAYS remember me and the work I've done. Mosiah 2:17: "And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are ONLY in the service of your God." I found the wording very interesting in this scripture. The word only. I feel very comforted by this scripture. That none of my efforts will ever go wasted or are unnoticed. And in a way, I should be forgotten. Purely for the sake of the future missionaries who will serve here after me. If people are so caught up with previous missionaries they have no time to truly treasure and love the missionaries who are serving them in the present. It's their time now and it won't be mine anymore. So in a way I really shouldn't be remembered. And the people who really loved me will never forget me anyway. But in the end, it doesn't matter. Heavenly Father sees and He is happy with my efforts.

I love you all so very very much! Thank you for all the endless support you render to Rach and I! I LOVE you!

Love Always, Sister Teresa Kullick

A miracle is still a miracle...

TERESA - Heya Family,

I don't actually have too much to report today...sorry! I am sooo excited to get dad's tape by the way, I LOVED the last one. I haven't gotten your 4th of July stuff yet; I may not get it till way later but oh well! I still love and miss those good 'ole U.S.A. flags! Ha-ha but anyway, did everybody get and like the gifts I sent out for them? Mom, did you give everybody their letters? I really appreciate that mom, thanks sooo very much! So how is everybody doing? How's Steven and Erika? Sheila? And especially, how are you and dad doing? I know I get your weekly letters every week (thanks sooo much for those!) but my favorite part is reading the personal responses at the end of the letter for Rach and I. That way I really know what's up! I love you guys just so you know!

This past week we had been baking and making thank you cards for our ward members (We got the idea from Rach!). Everybody has loved them and we hope it shows our appreciation for them!

I. S., our investigator came to FHE this past Monday and loved it! It was really great to have him there. We talked about Lehi and Nephi, not the original ones but the ones in the book of Helaman. It was excellent! I'm LOVING the classic Book of Mormon stories for Family Home Evening! You learn so much from them; at least I do :)

This week has been full of tiny miracles. Sister Baxter felt like we should go by a former investigator family. And good thing we did. We asked inspired question (something we just recently talked about in District meeting) and it was very special. We had an appt set up with her later that week. Unfortunately she said later that she wasn't ready for this right now and left it. Even though that happened and she used her agency against it, I KNOW we were meant to be there and to give her that opportunity to accept or reject our message. I hope she comes around sometime soon. This would only make her life that much happier.

Also sadly, I.  has not been progressing too well. He has been really struggling with the word of wisdom and because of that he hasn’t waned to meet with us this week. We will see him on Wednesday so hopefully we will listen to the Spirit and know how to best approach the situation. Again, even though he's deciding to not to live the way Heavenly Father wants him to live, I know that we have done and are doing, all we can to help him progress. Remember this: A miracle is STILL a miracle even if the end result isn't exactly ideal. Because the spirit STILL lead you and prompted you to say and do what you were supposed to say and do. Nothing changes that, not even the result.

I have learned how blessed I am this week. We felt impressed to go by P. and thank goodness we did. She and her family had REALLY been struggling. Now we know why she hadn't come to church. Her son, A. (20), had been in a very serious accident. He was attacked the other week. I won't go into the details but it was really bad. The stuff that happens over here sometimes is truly horrific. It was so sad to see P. so weighed down by it all. You could just see it in her eyes. But I have to say that I admire her and her family because even through all this they have looked on the positive side of things. And if you knew the story, I'm telling you, it would be hard to see any positives if I'm being honest. But this just goes to show me to appreciate life and what I have. P. was also thinking about the person's mom who attacked her son. She sincerely feels sorry for her and the pain she must be feeling knowing that her son did this. And this is what got me, she said, "I don't know who's pain is worse, mine or hers." Wow, I felt real and genuine love and concern coming from P. She has true charity like I've never seen. I truly want to gain that kind of charity. But it also made me think about how people would judge her family and pretend to know her situation. It made me think of how I should never judge anyone because no matter what I think, I don't know the story. I learned an awful lot this week.  I found a really good scripture in my personal study one morning that related to this. Moroni 7:18: " And now, my brethren, seeing that ye know the light by which ye may judge, which light is the light of Christ, see that ye do not judge wrongfully; for with that same judgment which ye judge ye shall also be judged." I really liked that. Just something to think about.

Things have been better this week, and I only plan for them to get better. I am so thankful for a mission President who cares about every single one of his missionaries. He is truly inspired. I really know why I was supposed to serve in this mission. Because I needed THESE experiences and THIS mission President. I am so very grateful for a loving Heavenly Father that cares about me. One thing that I love about Heavenly Father is that He loves you. He loves Rachel, Steven and Sheila and Erika. He loves Sister Baxter and her family and all the missionaries in the world. He loves the people who I talk to everyday. He loves them all, everybody. THAT is why I love Him so much Because He is that perfect of a father who is completely involved in every single one of His children's lives. And even with all that, He loves me too. I love that.

I am learning endurance and I couldn't be happier for that. Thank you for everything. I love you. Love Always, Sister Teresa Kullick

4th of July FHE BBQ?

RACHEL - Dear Family and Friends,

Happy 4th of July! I hope everyone has a great one as well! Do you remember me talking about the 4th of July FHE BBQ tonight for our ward, well no one announced it so it's not happening! Ha-ha and we and the Elders in our ward have been inviting Investigators to that as well this past week! But that's OK, because we will schedule and plan something in the future!

This last Sunday, Sister Bibb and I taught the 12 year olds in Sunday School about being "Not of The World" and it turned out very well. We started it off by doing the classic hangman on the chalkboard for the kids to figure out what the subject was and then showed this short clip from the Doctrine and Covenants disc set which showed examples of youth being faced with choices and then making the right ones, then read from the scriptures with them. Then we were asked to go into Primary to the 8-10 year olds class in the beginning to bear our testimonies about missionary work! That was really great.

This past week, Sister Bibb and I weren't able to have as many teaching appointments as we would have liked but had a lot of finding time and were able to beat our standard goal by getting 76 Quality Gospel Conversations and 24 Appointments! One day this past week we made 8 Appointments! The Lord really had His hand in Everything. Most of them were for this next week and we are excited for the Potential Investigators that we have. It has been wonderful working with our recent convert, Sister H.C.P., who was baptised less than three weeks ago! She is an amazing fellowshipper now at our lessons with our other Investigators. She has such a strong testimony and she is a natural!

We are currently teaching a YSA Investigator named A.M. he is from Poland and he is progressing very well by coming to church for the second time even when he works night shifts and gets home at 6 a.m. We are looking into passing him over to the YSA Ward missionaries and have begun making plans for that. We feel that will help him in his conversion process especially since I have served in that same ward building my first area and I know the perfect YSA Polish fellowshipper that well help befriend him! We are making the transition on Wednesday with the other missionaries so I will let you know how it goes!

Throughout my mission so far, I have been able to read the Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants and Pearl of Great Price, which has been wonderful! As of now I am beginning my reading of the entire Bible starting from the New Testament. I have loved reading it so far but have especially enjoyed the Joseph Smith Translation, which has clarified a lot of things for me.

Tomorrow I will meet my new Mission President and his wife. The Prestons. I am excited to meet them and know that they will be great! I will tell you later how that goes.

To be honest, there really isn't that much to say besides what I have just said. I am so sorry if this was boring for any of you to read but thank you for reading it anyway! I hope everyone is well and happy! Thank you for the support you give to Teresa and I!

Love always, Sister Rachel Kullick