Funny & Crazy Ward

TERESA - Hiya family!!

I can't believe that dad totally called our places in the mission! He is so dead on! Right on dad, way to be in tune with the spirit!

So we were in Glasgow City Centre in George Square on the day I was to travel to Ireland and it turns out that they are filming this HUGE movie there that is supposed to be taken place in Philadelphia, USA. Apparently, Brad Pitt is staring in it and it's called WWZ. I guess it has to do with Zombies and all that. But we got to see the set and a firefighter went in and took pictures of the set for us! Totally neat! But anyways, that was just a fun side note, I'll move on now :)

It was myself, Sister Oswald, and 4 other Elders going to Ireland. We took this long coach ride to the ferry and spent pretty much all day on that to get there. When we got there we took another coach and then we were picked up by the Zone leaders in Belfast (Northern Ireland) and switched companions there. That's when I got Sister Ring. Then Sister Ring and 2 other Elders drove to the Republic of Ireland, which took a while as well. And then we got to the church in time to go home! Haha Not too exciting but definitely different and fun.

The area I was transferred to was originally one and now they have split it up into two areas. Baldoyle, our area, and Mount Joy, the Elders area. They're white washing in but when we split the area book they ended up with all of the investigators so really it's like we're white washing in too! So we're learning a new area as well and helping the Elders get around. The wonderful thing is that we have a car, so I'm really happy about that! The Elders that came in are Elder Layton (Greenie), and Elder Wilkins (District Leader). I already know that this district is going to be one of the best that I have served in. We're already planning District t-shirts :) haha They're all really good missionaries and REALLY funny! I'm really excited to serve around them!! We are all serving in the same ward and it's called Finglas Ward. We all were asked to get up and introduce ourselves and bear testimonies yesterday so that was really good. It's a funny ward and a little crazy, but we're all really excited to help the work grow here. It's funny because when I served with Sister Britnee Sheffield, who is home now, she was apart of the original Ireland Dublin Mission and she had served here in Finglas and told me all these stories about it.... and they're all true! It's actually funny to be a part of it now!

Anyways, but first I have to tell you about Friday. With the new 12 week training program they told us that Smart Start Conference that I had attended first in the mission was no longer going to happen because of the new program. But lo and behold Sister Ring finds plane tickets in her e-mail for both of us, flying us to Edinburgh for the Smart Start Conference on Friday! Nobody knew about this conference because we were told it wasn't supposed to happen. On Friday we get up at 3:00am to catch a plane at 6:30am. We go to the airport and thank goodness I had Sister Ring because I would have been SO lost! Probably would've gotten on the wrong plane or something! She's a pro though so I wasn't worried. Seriously NOT a trainee at all, she knows what she's doing, it's great! At the airport we met up with the Elders from Sligo and all boarded the plane. Ryanair. Remember this name. I sure do! Hour and a half later we landed in Edinburgh and the Assistants weren't even out of their flat yet to pick us up. So when they finally arrive we piled into the van and drove over to the mission home and began training. Funny thing to, we were just told we were doing a training model in front of the whole group so we had to plan this in the airport. You can probably tell how good it was. Haha not. So we did training all day and that was really fun though. We learned a lot and for Sister Ring and I just getting together we worked really well as a companionship so that was a relief. Now this is where it gets better. Training ended at 3 pm but our flight wasn't until about 9:10. Sister Griffiths had us fill out return wedding invitation envelopes for past missionaries! Ironic huh? We do that for a couple of hours and then we went out chapping for the Assistants until we get dropped off at the airport at about 8pm. When we arrive and after the Assistants leave, we find out that our plane has been delayed till after midnight. It was broken. Ahhhhh! And then, we make friends with security after going in and out of it 3 times and the last two times I had to get patted down because the thing beeped! Yeah, that was too funny! And the whole time phoning the Assistants and President a thousand times it seemed to ask what we were supposed to do. Eventually we were told to stay until the flight took off but if it didn't take off by 12:20 we were to take a taxi back to the mission home and stay the night. But actually it wasn't that bad. Mostly funny. I guess that may be because we were too tired to care at this point and just thought the whole situation was hilarious. (Mind you we had been up since 3 in the morning!) It was definitely a great icebreaker and bonding experience for Sister Ring and I! Now there is nothing we can't handle! RYANAIR had us sitting on the plane at 12:20. We get back off the plane and try to find our way to the car and end up getting off at the wrong stop and have to walk all the way to our car. We finally find our car and eventually our way out of the parking lot and headed for home. We get home and we're in bed a half hour shy of being up for 24 hours straight. So that was exciting. Quite funny, quite a day! We got permission directly from President that we could sleep in. That was very kind of him!

On Saturday we got our way around to see some of the members, which was nice. And the Elders were with us as well. They don't have a car so we taxi'd them around. On Sunday we went to Church and so far so good. We went around and got quite a few dinner/member appointments set up for next week. I'm really excited to be here and to be serving in the Finglas ward! Side note, after I bore my testimony, this woman named Sister O'Connor came up to me and asked if I had a twin. Apparently she served in the Preston Temple when Rachel was serving in Chorley and fed her for Christmas I'm pretty sure. It was so great! She told me that we were exactly alike which is nice to hear after all this time. It's interesting because when you've been with your twin your whole life and you go on a mission it's like you aren't anymore because no one knows you're a twin and no one knows your sister, so it's really refreshing and homey to have people talk about how similar we are and even just know who she is. So that was a neat experience! I

LOVED it!

So today is P-day and our district is out to see Dublin for some District unity! I'm really excited to see the city! So unfortunately I don't really have too much to report in the way of the work right now just because of all of the craziness and scheduling that has gone on. But don't worry; next week I should have some solid missionary experiences/stories for you. Even though we don't really have a teaching pool at the moment I am excited to build up one with Sister Ring and to see conversion in Baldoyle!

Thank you so much for everything you do for Rachel and me! I love you all and I pray for you every night! Thanks SOOOO much again!!

Love Always, Sister Teresa Kullick