This weeks letter from Sister Bullock Sept 27, 2012

Sister Bullock in front of the MTC entrance

HELLO EVERYONE!!

I can't believe it's time to email you again! This week has seriously FLOWN by! It was a great week! Last Thursday, we (Sister Jarrett and I) committed our investigator, Haleigh, to baptism! She is still progressing nicely and is super excited!! Friday, we committed our other investigator, Matt, to baptism! He was doing well until he went home and saw his family. Then he started to doubt. But the Spirit was totally working with him, Sister Jarrett and me in that lesson. So now he's back to preparing to be baptized! So great!! Also, we taught an investigator named Paige and we committed her to baptism in the first meeting! We haven't seen Paige again because she went back to Cali on Monday, but I would like to think that she is still doing well :) We also had another investigator, Barbara, who is progressing nicely. Our last lesson, she prayed with us! Prayer and testimony are seriously the 2 quickest ways to get the Spirit in the room! Her prayer was so sweet and special! I love investigators! Then we also taught a less active member named Larry. Larry was an interesting man. He acted like he didn't want to see us or talk to us at first, and then he found out that I had been less active for a period of time. So then he wanted to know what had gotten me back into the church and whatnot. So I told him my story. We (Larry and I) both cried over it and the Spirit was so strong. He agreed to come back to church, and to start praying again after that. It was so cool!

So this week, I ran into Sister Beer and Sister Olsen!! Both girls that I grew up with in our stake back in Michigan! Sister Beer is going to New York, Mandarin speaking, and Sister Olsen is going to Madrid, Spain! So cool! I was so happy to see them! And it turns out that Sister Beer lives 2 doors down from me :) Also, one of my zone teachers served with my roommate Meg! I thought that was a cool little connection!

This week, I really learned that I need to have more faith and trust in my Heavenly Father. I had a really humbling experience in class back on Saturday. I just realized how much responsibility I have with peoples salvation and such with my missionary work, and it freaked me out a little bit! But thankfully, I have a great teacher and a great district leader who were there for me the whole time I had a mini breakdown. And after lunch, Elders Richardson and Aitken gave me blessing and in it I was told that I was doing my best and that's all the Lord expects of me. It was, and is, such a great comfort to me. I just care so much for people I haven't even met yet, that I want to do my best so that they can have this joy and peace and happiness that I have. I want them to come to know their Father and their Savior as I know them, and better than I know them! Then on Sunday, I had to speak in Sacrament meeting on repentance. It wasn't too bad, I guess. And then we watched the temple dedication!! It was so cool! The spirit was present throughout the whole thing and it was just wonderful! During the last hymn, I noticed Elder Holladay was crying! This is so huge because he hasn't shown emotion the whole time we've been here, except for that! So amazing what the spirit can do to us!

May I just confess how much I seriously love my district?? They are so great and we've all made so much growth and progress in the 3ish weeks we've been here! I have high hopes for all of my Elders, as well as for my Sisters :) I'm continually learning from them and their examples! I feel like we are such a close family since we spend all of our time together! It's so great! I feel like a proud mama bear with her Elder cubs, haha! It's going to be sad next week when the Elders are gone and it's just us sisters! But I'm excited for them to get out into the field and experience Michigan :)

Some funny stories from this week, ready? First, there was one night when we had just sat down to dinner and I was going to pray over my food. So I bowed my head and instead of praying, I started counting to 10! It was so weird! I had no idea what or why I was doing that! We all had a pretty good laugh about it! And they still tease me when I pray at dinner! (How high did you count this time, Sister Bullock?) Then yesterday, Sister Jarrett was going to pray before we met with Haleigh. So she says, "Dear Heavenly Father, we say these things." We busted up laughing! It was so funny!! We laughed for 5 minutes before we could calm down enough to actually pray!

Um... I think that's about it! I love you all! See you in 17 1/2 months!!

Love, Sister Bullock

SIster Bullock's letter September 20, 2012

FAMILY!!! (Sorry I don't have time to write everyone individually!)

            Hi :) I'm so excited that I finally get to write you! But I only have 30 minutes- Well, 25 now- To write! Hopefully I can write everything that I want to! So yeah! Let's begin! Basically I love the MTC! The Spirit is so strong here and I absolutely love everything I'm learning! I feel like it's been a month, when it has only been a week! But at the same time, I can't believe how fast it's all going! Time just flies here! You sit down, and 5 minutes later, your 3 hour class is over! It's insane!

             I love having a companion! Sister Jarrett is just amazing! I'm constantly learning from her and striving to be like her! She is such a wonderful example to me! My district is wonderful, also! I love all my little Elders! The sisters and I all feel so motherly towards them haha!

             For the past 5 days or so, Sister Jarrett and I have been teaching 3-4 different investigators. They're not real investigators, but they sure do a great job at acting like they are! It's really awesome and it's taught me so much! I'm learning to love role play and planning and study time! I have like 5-6 hours of study time a day, and it's still not enough for me! I just want to learn as much as I can!

             Hm... So much to say, not sure how to make it flow. Haha! Um, Thursday is P-day! So that is when I can write letters and emails and such! It's so hard not getting to write all of you all the time! I want to tell you everything that's happening, right when it happens! Also, Thursdays mean I get to go to the temple!! I'm so excited for that!

             Oh! Guess who taught relief society back on Sunday? SHERI DEW! Yeah, coolest thing ever! She taught about the role of women in the church. It was a really good lesson and something I think will be very useful out in the field.  Also, Tuesday devotional was awesome. Paul E. Koelliker and his wife spoke to us about obedience and not getting distracted while in the service of the Lord. Service of the Lord. I love saying that! I love being a called and set apart servant of my Heavenly Father! It's pretty much the coolest thing ever!

            Oh! Dad was telling me I forgot to tell you where Sister Jarrett is from! She's from Winnemucca, NV. Also, we have dorm room prayer every night! I love it! The 5 of us (Syster Chesley left for Sweden back on Tuesday) kneel in a circle, pray in our mission language (if we're learning one) and then have a giant group hug after! It's awesome :)

            Also, thank you for the packages! Especially for the laundry bag! I didn't know what to do with my laundry, and then your package came! So thanks for that! You must have read my mind or something :)

            Thanks for all the letters! I love getting mail! It always makes my day 100x better! I never knew how important mail was to a missionary before I got out here! It's nice to know how you guys are doing!

            Want to hear a couple of cool stories? K, they happened on Tuesday! First, all day Tuesday, I had like this self-pity thing going on where I just felt super inadequate and unprepared and all that junk. Then after the devotional, we were having a testimony meeting with our branch president and while his wife was speaking, I felt the spirit come over me and I heard the words, ''Kelsey, you are fine''. And instantly I felt the love of my Heavenly Father and the comfort that comes with His love and Spirit. I was so much calmer and so much more able to feel the spirit. Ever since then, I've really had the confidence to teach my investigators and I've been able to have the spirit more strongly present in the lessons! By the way, listening to an investigator pray to their Father for the first time is probably one of the most spiritual experiences I've ever had!

            Second story! Sister Jarrett gets really awful headaches. Tuesday was just an awful hard day! She said that she couldn't focus during the devotional, but when Elder Koelliker said ''Don't get distracted'', the spirit told her to ask our Elders for a blessing. And so she did! Our Elders are amazing! Who knew that 4, 19 year old boys could be so strong and so with the spirit??  I'm so impressed by them! The Spirit was so strong while they gave her a blessing! There was not a dry eye in the room. Well, not on any of the sisters, at least :)

            But my time is running out! So please know that I love you and miss you all! I know that the Lord loves you and will bless you in all things! Strive to have His Spirit with you continually! Tell Dad, Ally, Logan Sierra, Cesar, Maddux and bebe, and Amanda that I love and miss them all!! I'll see you in 18 months!

Love, Sister Bullock

We just got a letter, we just got a letter.....

We just got a letter, We know who it's from!  Yay!  Saturday we received a letter from Sister Bullock!

  Sister Bullock wrote to us the first evening she was in the MTC;  September 12th.  She said it had been a crazy (and awesome) day.  After we dropped her off she met up with her host missionary, Sister Greenwood, took her luggage to her room, went and got her name badges and ID card.  She met her teachers, Brother Shumway (no relation to the Shumways in the Crestwood ward) and Sister Peets.

She met the elders and sisters in her district.  All 8 elders are going to the Lansing, MI Mission (She thought that was pretty cool!), 2 sisters are going to the Winter Quarters Visitor's Center and her companion, Sister Jarrett, is going to the San Diego Temple Visitor's Center and will also serve at the Mormon Battalion Center.  These 3 sisters are her roommates at the MTC.  She said that they are all getting along really well. (Mom's note:  I find it interesting that she is the only person in her district going to Washington DC- North Mission.)

After meeting her district, she went to a conference with the MTC Presidency and their wives.  She commented that it was "pretty awesome".

She said the food at dinner was delicious and the chocolate milk was good, but not the best in the world like she had been told.  (Mom's note:  Of course not!  Nothing compares to Reed's Dairy Chocolate milk!!)

After dinner she had a chance to unpack before going to another meeting.  She said that this meeting was very cool; they got to interact with converts as if the were still investigators.  She wrote, "It was so cool!  I loved it!"

Next she went and met with her Zone leaders.  Her Sister Zone Leader is another roommate.  So apparently they have 6 sister missionaries in their room.

She said that it had been a good day, much better than she expected.  She said, " I know I am exactly where I need to be and doing exactly what I need to be doing."

The biggest surprise to Sister Bullock and her family is that she will be in the MTC for 4 weeks, not 2 weeks like we originally thought!  She will depart the MTC on Oct 8th and take a "red eye" flight to DC and arrive in DC the morning of Oct 9th!

Sister Bullock's p-day (preparation day) while in the MTC is Thursday.   That will most likely be when we will hear from her next.

A great way to write to her while she is in the MTC is by using Dearelder.com.  They will print off your letter and deliver it the same day if you submit it before noon.  They deliver letters Monday - Friday. You will need her MTC box number #119 and her Mission DC-North and her departure date:  1008.  She would love to hear from you!

Dropping Sister Bullock off at the MTC

Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Kelsey was set apart as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints!  Our Stake President, Bishop, Kelsey's Branch President, and Rick all took part.  It was a beautiful and spiritual experience.  The hard part for me was being asked to say a prayer before her setting apart.  Those who know me well, will know that I started crying before I started praying!  This being a "missionary mom" thing is a very emotional journey!  Shortly after she was set apart we left for Provo about a four hour drive.

Wednesday, September 12, 2012
We decided to go take some photos around the Missionary Training Center (MTC) and the Provo Temple that morning, as we knew there would not be time to take any photos when we dropped her off at the MTC.

Sister Bullock at the "drop-off" site (Actually, the real drop-off happens on the other side of the fence)

There is no longer a "Welcome to the Missionary Training Center" sign, but I believe this is where it used to be.

Sisters outside of the MTC

The Provo Temple is right across the street from the MTC

Sister Bullock and her dad

The Family - well, all that could be there

Sister Bullock and her Mom (the other Sister Bullock)

So Long....Farewell....

Sunday was a very special day!  Kelsey gave a very inspirational talk during Sacrament meeting. She blamed me for making her cry because I started the meeting off right by saying (crying) the opening prayer.  (I hate that I can't control my emotions!)  She spoke on obedience and bore a powerful testimony of choosing to be obedient and how those choices have blessed her life.  She has such a strong testimony of Jesus Christ and His atonement!  She is going to be such a fabulous missionary!

We had so many family members and friends come and support her on Sunday!  Thanks to all of you for your love!

I discovered that  I messed up her address for the mission home on the cards I handed out!  So I am posting the CORRECT address here:

      Sister Kelsey Bullock                   

MTC #119                       

DC-North 1009                   

2005 N 900E                                                        

Provo, UT  84604          

Washington DC North Mission
11700 Falls Rd
Potomac, MD  20854-2823

She will be set apart as a missionary tonight and then into the MTC tomorrow.  I can't believe this day is here!  I have such mixed emotions right now.  I know that she is doing what she is supposed to be doing right now in her life and that she and our family will be blessed because of her choice to serve a mission.  I will miss her sooooo much! This is so hard! 

Sister Bullock goes to Washington

Washington DC LDS Temple

Kelsey will be serving in the Washington DC Temple Visitor's Center as well as proselytizing in the DC/ Maryland area.  She enters the MTC in Provo, UT on Sept 12 for 2 weeks of training, then she will be off to DC!  I will miss her, but I am so excited for her and know that she will be a fantastic missionary!

If you are in the Idaho Falls area, Kelsey will be giving a farewell talk in the Crestwood Ward this Sunday, September 9th at 9:00 AM (the building is located on 49th South between 15th E [aka Woodruff or St. Claire] and 25th E [aka Hitt].

We will also have an informal gathering at 12:00 noon till ?? at our home:  2094 Autumn Lane, Idaho Falls (in the neighborhood next to the church).  Feel free to stop by anytime during the afternoon!

I will try to update this blog weekly, so keep checking back to see how she is doing!