The Atonement :)

So. Let me just start off by saying that here in Belmopan, we work HARD. We bike fast, sweat a lot, and I just......get home exhausted. This past week, I literally passed out on the floor after planning TWICE. And you know what? I love it! Because all of this hard work is bringing miracles.

So....as usual, because of lack of time, I'm going to copy and paste from President's email! Yay! :D But just know that I really do wish that I could write more..... Buut....when I'm home, ask me about anything on the mission, and if I have the time to do it, I will most definitely spill the beans!

Just some background info. We had interviews with President and Sister Hintze this past week. A short while back, we had a multi-zone and in it, Elder Moore, one of the Assistants, said something that really struck me. He said, "Our purpose as missionaries is to 'Invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the Restored gospel......etc.' Our purpose is to invite. Yes, we want to baptize everyone. Is it likely? Not really. So we may not baptize the world, but we sure as heck better invite it!" And it stuck with me. Sometimes here on the mission, we get so nervous to do so. We get so worried about them saying no, or maybe it's an awkward situation or maybe we just........are flat out scared. BUT. It's our duty to invite. And I realized that and decided that I needed to do it. And Sister Richins is in complete agreeance. So she and I have been trying to invite EVERYONE we have a lesson with, to baptism, with a specific date. And President Hintze wanted to know how we were inviting so many people. I guess the missionaries in El Salvador haven't quite hopped on that boat yet.... And well? We just told him we were trying to be Fearless, like Elder Mapusua (our Zone Leader) tells us to be. So I told him about some of our fearless invitations..... My favorite is the one on Saturday..... :D

So here we go....

"This week was SO awesome. Sometimes I just wish that I could take everyone everywhere I go, because I want you to love my mission like I do! We are just....seeing so many miracles and I want to tell you about all of them, but there just isn't enough time to write you about it. And I obviously can't call you up every night and give you an update on my day. However, I did want to give you update on Sister Richin's and mine fearlessness on invites after our interviews. I figured that you would be interested in a few of these experiences.

So. The next day, Sister Richins and I were riding in our new area, trying to show "Because He Lives" to everyone who want to see it (and those who don't want to....) and we ended up showing it to an atheist man at the park. He liked it, we assume, and then we (without fear, well....yes, with the fear, but not caring that it was there.....) invited him for the9th of May. He obviously protested and said he just didn't believe in that stuff, and we continued to talk with him, found out where he lived, said we would come back and then had the audacity to pray with him. 

Forward on to Friday night. We chased down what we thought was a young family, which ended up being a Kriol brother and sister. Well....it turns out that this young 17 yr-old gyal was THE CATHOLIC PASTOR'S DAUGHTER!!!!!!! They go every week to church, multiple times during the week! Well....we showed her the video and then Sister Richins talked, but skipped over the invite. So she handed it over to me and.....I knew I had to do it. There is no room for fear in a lesson that is going to go somewhere. So I invited her and she didn't tell me no nor yes. She only said that she'd have to talk to her dad because he got mad about their oldest son getting baptized into the Mennonite church. So anyway, we gave her a pass-along card and told her to share the video with her family.

Saturday. We ate lunch at an ice cream parlor super quick that was run by a Chinese family. So as we're eating lunch, Sister Richins and I wanted to invited him to baptism, but he barely speaks English (he has been here for three weeks only), so Sister Richins called up Elder Fowler and asked how to say it in Mandarin. So she practiced it and then said it to him. FIVE times. And he didn't understand her. We kept trying, but finally he gave us his phone and then we typed it in for Google Translate. He said, "NOOO! No, no, no. I no believe in dat." But then we had this really cool 20-25 minute lesson over Google Translate about how God exists and how he can pray to receive an answer about it and it was just......so cool! The Spirit was so strong and the love for my mission was growing ever stronger!! Being a missionary is seriously the best thing ever.

And then comes Sunday. The last lesson of the night was with a recent convert, Iznarda and her two daughters and her nonmember husband, Rudy. He is....not very open to the Church--he doesn't believe in any church because "religion is the cause of a lot of the worldly contention right now...." and all of that other kind of stuff. Well....we came over and his door to his study was shut. He was watching something, and so I was with the girls out on the couch, Sister Richins was with Iznarda in the kitchen and then finally she went in and asked Rudy if he would come out for a lee bit and watch the "Because He Lives" with us. He consented and well, we hurried and started testifying as soon as it ended, because he started heading for the door. Well....Sister Richins started, got scared, and then passed it on to me. Well I got scared and then passed it on to her again (because he had said he didn't need church because "the video said that Christ is with us. Always. So why did he need to go to church? He didn't.") and you know what, President? She did it. My companion invited him for the 16th of May. Of course he said no, but we talked a little bit about eternal families as well and then.....he opened up! He shared some of his history, we talked a little more and then.....a miracle happened. He talked about his mom who is waiting on a serious surgery and he has heard about the elders and their "prayers," (which we later explained were more than just a special prayer) and asked if we could say a special prayer for his mom right then. I did and he was VERY happy and said he was going to ask his mom if the elders could actually come and give her a blessing and asked if we could keep praying. It was.....incredible. Sister Richins said that that has NEVER happened. And we still maintained his friendship. He wasn't completely angry and against the Church (like Iznarda had previously told the former sisters would happen if they tried to push it with him....). He respected us. And I know he is now thinking about it!!!

It was amazing. It was a FEARLESS, full of testifying of Christ's Atonement, HAPPY week! It was chalk-full of miracles. I am SO grateful that the Lord is blessing us by giving us the strength we need to work hard all day every day, guiding us to the people we need to meet, and converting our fear to faith. We are truly having the greatest happiness while being here in Belmopan.

I just have to say one more thing. This week at zone meeting, they asked us for our personal purpose as a missionary. I have thought long and hard about this one ever since my good friend, Jenifer Nuttall, asked me a few months back. Something I have come to realize is how important the Atonement has become. I am here, to learn about, live, LOVE, and share the Atonement so it can not only empower the lives of others, but also mine own! My favorite part every day of being a missionary is the chance that I have to share the blessings and my testimony of the Atonement. I know that Christ lives and loves us. Because He lives, we can experience every blessing that He has ever had. God wants us to be happy, not just in the next life, but also in this one. Get down on your knees to find that happiness. Because you can. You can have it all the time.

That is why I'm here. To share that knowledge with others. And I love doing it every day!

I pray for you all. Thanks for your prayers and your support! Keep smiling and sharing Christ's love with others!

Love Always,

Sistah M.

Fear no man, Fear no bug

What a week, what a week! 

Nothing really happened this week other than finding and more finding. We have a family on baptism date though, I don't remember if I mentioned that or not, but they are a pretty interesting family. We went and saw them this week and well.. the mom didn't seem to interested and neither did the other three daughters, but there is one daughter who seems interested. Her name is Brittany, and she is the media referral, she requested a bible so we came back with a bible and talked a little bit about the Book of Mormon and she gladly accepted a Book of Mormon. She has been reading and seems to be talking things seriously. She is literally just a doll and so adorable! We are focusing on her a lot because she seems as if she has some potential! :D 

We met with a less active member and at the end of our lesson she asked us if we wanted to see her brother, she said that he isn't a member and she has asked about us and he said that he has been going through some rough things and wanted to know why we as Mormons are so happy. Well, Sit down and lets talk! We are really excited and are hoping this will come through, we have had people really close to baptism and then they go off the deep end and say that they don't want us back which is hard and sometimes very discouraging. But I guess its all in Gods hands and we have to cherish the moments that he gives us, Its all up to him! Sometimes we are only there to plant seeds and that's all we can do. 

Here's a quote "There is no growth in the comfort zone, and there is no comfort in the growth zone." I can testify of it's truthfulness. I have grown so much on this mission and sometimes things can be awkward, awkward things can occur but you can't grow unless you embrace the awkward. Here is the most awkward thing that happened this week. Hold on to your seats! We were meeting with another less active who is home bound and she has some man inside and walked to the kitchen without saying hello, he came out with a needle and handed it to her, she pointed it towards me and I flinched. She smiled picked up her shirt and stabbed it into her skin, I was shocked and totally scared for my life. After she was done injecting herself with whatever she injected herself with she continued to leave her shirt up and didn't pull it back down, it was a little distracting and well... it was just awkward, my companion and I had no idea what to do so we taught the lesson as fast as we could and then left. #Embracetheawkward. 

The bug has finally been eliminated! It was a week of fearing for my life, sleeping with one eye open and watching where I stepped. I felt as if time to time it was mocking me because I would see something on the ground and think it was the bug and start screaming. I had several partial heart attacks and panic moments. But the story boiled down to its life ending. One Wednesday morning as I was getting ready for the day, I saw out of the corner of my eye something coming towards me, it was the demon bug and I jumped from crossed legs to huddled in the corner on my bed screaming for Sister Messegee to save me. She was not going to come out and kill it for me.she said I had to kill it, or trap it and wait for her to come out and kill it. Are you kidding me? I have to wait 20 minutes for this creepy crawling monster to die.  It was inching slowly towards me and I felt my life flash before my eyes, I was in a sweat and my hear was beating so fast It was crawling as if it was to go under my bed, yeah no way was I going to let it get under my bed. I don't want it sleeping under me. So I decided to take the chance and squish it. I yelled as I slammed a book on it. Its life was over and victory was mine! I couldn't believe I killed it. As I pondered on the terrifying experience I pondered back on what the word fear meant. :to fear man, mortal dangers, pain and evil is to be afraid of such things and to dread them, well that fit my description and definition perfectly. I feared for my life. I came with an analogy, "Fear no Man, Fear no Bug" If I can conquer bugs I can conquer investigators and people we come in contact with. I have no need to fear!! 

Sorry this email is so short. Not much happen, I love ya'll and hope you have an amazing week!! God Bless!!

Love your Favorite Sister McCulloch (from the South)

Sissy has always had a thing for BIG sunglasses.  Such pretty girls!

Where oh where will our little bug go??????

Charlie's Two Transfer Mission is almost up...she's on week #10...papers are in and her call will be arriving in Sandy at the Mission office around May 4th or 5th....it's time to guess:

Where will Sister Bitty Bug be serving the rest of her mission?????

Send your guesses to me at 2rangersgrdaughter@gmail.com

Wild Ride for Bitty Bug and a Scary Bug for Sissy

Charlie emailed me this morning saying that she is in a new area...her 3rd.  Her papers are in and her call should arrive at the mission office around May 3rd or 4th so she wants everyone to start guessing.  You can email me your guesses of where she will be serving for the rest of her mission. She is thrilled that she "passed" and is able to continue serving.  I had no doubt whatsoever that she would be able to handle a mission, severe learning disability or not.  Jack, Maddie, Jesse, Ben, Kaloni, and the babies and President Horsely and I have been invited to attend the opening of her call in Sandy.   STOKED!!!!!   This is such exciting news.
One of the members of her new area sent me a picture of Charlie and her new companions:

Doesn't Bitty Bug look great?!!!   Her companions are Sister Williams from Pennsylvania and Sister Goldwathe from Arizona.  Both are from big families like ours...one is #3 of 8 and the other is #9 of 9.  Such darling girls!~

Sissy met up with a nasty bug last week.

Funny Moment of the Week:
Last night Sister Messegee and I had a dealing with a bug and it was so scary and here the story goes. We got back from our apartment last night around 9 after we had weekly planning we were getting ready for bed and Sister Messegee was brushing her teeth she came out of the bathroom and she saw a bug on the wall by our bedroom door. She told me that I had to kill it, and if you know me I don't kill bugs, and well she was insisting that I kill it! I wouldn't even touch it with a
29.5 foot pole! Bleh gross!! But well I puffed out my chest and tried to kill it. instead of a 29.5 foot pole I used a broom. (Close enough right) well anyways I try killing it with the bristles and it crawls or I should say runs down the wall behind the door panel and I freaked! With a panic look on my face I told her that it went behind the door.  Sister Messegee had to get on a chair to see for herself.. she saw the ends of its legs and started to pound on the wall. Oh great she done did make the bug mad, maybe it was his bedtime and that was where he slept. Where the grouch of a bug came out and it jetted out like a bottle rocked straight towards her.. Keep in mind that by this time it was around 10:20 and well we were screaming, and our neighbors were sleeping.  It was chasing Sister Messegee around the room like a lost puppy dog and she was wailing and screaming and well as for me I was laughing so hard on my bed I was crying. It was the ugliest bug I have ever seen! I added a photo so you could see and witness it for yourself! 

I can just see this.  And can Sissy scream!!!  I hope they were able to find that creature and put it out of it's misery.  Sorry, Mom, but putting this thing outside would NOT be the humane thing to do...Zoology major or not.  :)

Here is some more from Kallie's email from last week:

Miracles:

- We have once again been sharing "Because He Lives" and if you haven't yet watched it, please do! It will change your life, I promise! And take the challenge given in the end to find him. Because he truly is everywhere!! Cry out to Him, Sing out and Shout out! He will here you, why? BECAUSE HE LIVES!!! 

-We found five new investigators this week!! 2 Families and we are so excited!!! We get to see both families tomorrow! (Tuesday) Keep them in your prayers if you would! 

She sounds great and seems to be doing well.  I am so proud of her.  She is in a tough area...I'm sure her dad could totally relate.  There's something about the South, but finer people you will not find anywhere!

Sister Messegee and Sister Sissy

Sissy looks happy.  :)

It is such a blessing having 3 sister missionaries out!  I am so proud of my girls!