Week 102

Sorry yesterday when i wrote the email to send to everyone the computer crashed so ill send a quick one. Everything is going great here. Dad asked when i will be leaving this island. I actually leave a few hours before i have to get on a plane in praia to go home! so Pray there is no problems with travel. Because there often is on this island. And if I miss it i will miss all flights.... haha!!

Love you all!!!! SEE YOU ALL IN A WEEK.... hopefully!


Love Elder McMullin

Week 101..interesting time

So for this week we had an interesting time! We had someone from our stake call us and say that the patriarch would be here saturday for a meeting and we had to get things found out for the group. This was i think thursday at night! so we didnt have a lot of time to figure it out. And we had it set up but they changed it so our group went to the other elders group for church and we all listened to him at church. It was stressful trying to get it all figured out. But in the end it was soooo awesome. 

At the end a member invited everyone over for lunch and we all ate lunch before the hiace came back to take us all back to tarrafal. It was stressful at first but it was fun for everyone and everyone was happy even the kids that were throwing up in the hiace rides... haha! Got a lot of pictures so ill show them to you when i get home!

 It was super awesome because we also were able to get 4 investigators to go. All family members of the members here. And they seemed like they all had a lot of fun.

Well...... 2 more weeks..... and pretty much one more email because i will leave at night that day.... Its a super strange feeling.


Love Elder McMullin

Week 100... Another good week!

Another good week! Getting near the end..... 

Questions for the week...

Any lizards here?
Yep i see them like daily if i pay attention.

Spiders?
Just the same ones in fogo. Big black and yellow. but supposedly harmless.

More people at church?
Sadly no! we passed EVERYONE the day before and everyone was so sure they would be there but sadly not everyone came.

Is it true that there are no mosquitos here?
No. just no. Multiple mosquito diseases have gone around since ive been here.

Did i hear about the elections?
yeah.....

Ever seen turtles?
Nope! but they are a protected species here.

Common names here?
joao.... maria.... antonia.... lots of bible names too. jesus....

Any pirates?
I have never seen any.....

Oranges?
As far as i can tell they taste the same as in America!

Love you all!
Love Elder McMullin

Week 99.....

Well this week was very simliar to last week! Still just working away on Sao Nicolau! We found out that we are not going to another island for zone conference so i wont be going to my last zone conference... or last zone meeting... so i didnt give a testimony my first one because they forgot and they didnt know that my last one was months ago so i didnt give it there! haha pretty funny huh??

No one left me questions so i dont have much to talk about...
We got a few more people to church this week so that was good.
We have a member that is gonna catch a shark so i can try it! I told her i wanted to try it before i left and her cousin is a fisher so she said she would get one from him and cook it and invite me!

Haha the members ask me just about daily if i know when im leaving yet but ive had the same answer for like 2 weeks. I dont know when im leaving this island but i leave Cape Verde 6th in the morning. 

We couldnt find a haice so we took a truck back to our area this week and i got a lot of awesome pictures... And saw a ton of drunk people because it was a holiday haha.

Well thats it! Love you all!

Love Elder McMullin

Week 98- October 31st , 2016- Last transfer! I stay!

So transfers! I stayed and my companion left. My new companion is Elder Podzikowski. He is from orem and i met him awhile back. He stayed at my house one night in praia. Since he came we were making sure he knows all the members and investigators. Due to the last few weeks being strange we need to find a lot more investigators this week.

Story with visiting teaching... Well I have two things that have to do with it. One is that helping people understand the importance of home teaching and visiting teaching is one thing that is emphasized a ton by our mission president to help the people here. The other was we had a less active that we passed multiple times a week for two transfers and taught her very often and she never came to church. but finally a member passed once! just once! when they had this activity of passing other people. And that week she showed up. Along with many other less actives. That week was one of our highest frequency thanks to that activity. unfortanetly people went back to their normal lives and started struggling on passing less actives again and they fell away. But I saw there that retention works so much better when its loving friends and family members that are helping rather than just the missionaries.

AMi going to bring souvenirs?
i guess you dont remember when i asked for ideas on what to bring people because i have no idea!!!

Halloween celebrations here?
They had like a party and i saw some people playing games together. Nothing like super halloweeny like home though.

Weirdest thing i ate this week?
Nothing weird. but we did eat calzones for lunch yesterday and it was awesome. First time in a loooonnng time. 

Whats the first thing i want to eat at home?
I dont know! There are a lot of things i want to eat!

Who will i hug first?
haha who knows?

How is my companion? does he think im weird? do i think he is weird?
Hes a lot of fun. And everyone is weird in their own way right? I know I am. I get told it often by many people.

Love you all!
Love Elder McMullin

October 24, 2016 Week 97- feeling better and a baptism

Hey loved ones. First off yeah I am doing better! It isnt completely cleared up but it isnt stopping anything anymore! Second off important business to take care off... my best friend on the mission Elder Toledo had a similiar sickness but it lasted for 6 weeks and they didnt know what it was. Well they found it last week but dont know what it is. Long story short he went home this last week. The reason why I am telling you this is I was planning on being at the airport when he was originally going to get home in 6 months. But now instead he is suppose to be with you guys at the airport and staying the night at our house the first night , that is if he is healthy enough. And still has the desire and no other plans here in 6 weeks. So that is the heads up on this... I hope that doesnt make anyone upset. But in advance if it does, feel free to talk it over with me and tell me why my best friend while i was out here cant be there... haha! Also I hope everyone has seen the flight plans by now! I will forward them just in case...

This week one of our recent converts was able to baptize his son and also prepare and pass the sacrament for the first time! So it was super exciting and he was awesome. This man is a living example of what the atonement can do when applied properly. He has changed so much and is doing so many great things. I can tell you a bit more about his story when i get home. 

One downside at church was we only had 14 people. That is what happens when you can only work for a few hours a day though. We will get everyone back this week though! 

Also I had my last interview besides the final interview with my mission president! It was good.

And today is the first day of my last transfer! But transfers wont happen until the middle of this week so i will tell you what happens here in a week!

Questions for the week!

Were we able to visit investigators this week?
Just our one that was baptized this week. Besides that we just passed members with our small amount of time.

More copies of the Book of Mormon?

Yes!

Any baptisms?
Just the one that i mentioned!

Who blesses the sacrament?
One will bless and usually we have a member to pass. One day we had to do both.

Fruits and veggies that i eat?
veggies are scarce... peas and carrots from cans. onions. green peppers... those are the usuals. fruits, apples, bananas, papayas, mangos, i found pears and plums one week and was in heaven but havent found any for awhile....

Trees and surroundings.... Palm trees... and these other kinds... kinda like african safari like trees i guess? Beach on one side and big mountains on the other that are brown but thanks to the rain lately are scattered with green patches.... 

I hope thats good enough!
Love you all!

Week 96- sick week

This week was .... boring. To be honest I am still sick and had to spend most of the week inside the house. Now i am telling you this but you cant call the mission and you cant worry. I am fine and it will probably pass this week. The biggest problem is just the boredom of being inside! 

To answer your questions....
When i go shopping is it a store or an outside market?
Depends where! and what i am buying! Fish and fruits and veggies are outside a lot of times. But like rice, drinks, packaged things, those are inside stores. There are a lot more outside markets in praia than here.

Last time i had a good Horchata?
The last time i made it! Which was in fogo about a year ago!

Are there cats here?
Yes. They roam the streets with dogs.

Did we get copies of The Book of Mormon?
Some. The others should get here on a boat tomorrow morning!

Have I been on any boats besides Ferry boats?

Nope!

How many people were at church this week?
20! Pretty good for not being able to pass a lot of people this week.

Any new baptisms?
Still just helping our recent convert baptize his son! We gave him the priesthood this week and saturday he will baptize his son!

Favorite food of the week?
I do not have one. Because im not allowed to eat just about anything because my stomach is not the healthiest place at the moment!

I love you all!
Love Elder McMullin

Week 95

We were able to watch conference! And i learned a ton! My favorite talks were if you combine all three of President Uchtdorfs talks including the womens session. The talks were all on really simple doctrines but they did an amazing job on really getting deep on each of them. I am SUPER excited taht the next time i will hear conference will be in english so not as many things go over my head. I mean i can understand the talks pretty well but in english it is so much easier to try and focus on the doctorine and just on learning rather than understanding first then learning. Besides that I dont think the week was super eventful. The whole weekend was taken up due to 12 hours of conference. Also I got a bit sick so that made it interesting. But it was nothing bad.

No one gave me questions this week soooo that means short email! We wake up work out, get ready, study, teach, eat lunch, teach, come home, plan, and sleep! Thats the everyday routine and its still going on! Trying to strengthen the members and find new people to teach. We also should get some more copies of the book of mormon soon so that should help. We are hoping to use conference to help the mothers that have children that they havent had baptized yet understand they have the responsibility to help their children learn the gospel in their youth. That will be fun!

I love you all! Hope you have a fun week!

Love Elder McMullin

Week 94- Didn't get to watch Conference

Hmmm so this week we were not able to see conference but we will watch it this weekend. So we just had regular church and i got to teach gospel principles just like when i was at home! Not very many people showed up which was sad we just had 18. But once again there was a record. We had more men then women in church! We found 2 men that were baptized on other islands that are now living here so now we need to work with them and they will help the group a ton!
Now to answer questions!

1. Any new baptisms?

We are working with the son of one our recent converts and he should be baptized here in a few weeks.

2. Any new investigators?

A few. I dont think i told you yet but we are having an interesting time in the mission right now. The mission has a book of mormon draught! We are all super low! In fact we have 2 and we searched the houses of members to get those. There is a boat coming from Germany with copies but... i have no idea when it will get here. And even worse then we have to wait to get them to our island! Good news is we have 5 copies on the way... but those might be the last ones ill be getting to teach people! It is making new investigators very interesting.

3. Any rain?

Just a small bit this week. didnt last long at all.

4. How is your toe? Anymore getting ingrown nails?

They are all fine. I havent had problems with them for awhile.

5. Any pictures?

Not that i can upload right now!

6. Are you taking pictures so that we can see them when you get home?

Im trying!

7. Favorite happening of the week?

Well this week i got what we call my trunky call! Asking which airport I want to arrive in and everything! So I should be home on time!

8. Favorite food you ate for the week?

Nothing really out of the ordinary.... oh i found some peaches and plums. That was a nice change from just bananas and apples. I am hoping they get another shipment tomorrow.

9. Favorite scripture or scripture story for the week?

Well i officially decided 2nd Nephi is my favorite book in the Book of Mormon. It is filled of two of my favorite things. Harsh reprimands and prophecies! Sometimes it hurts reading it though because i get reprimanded.... oh well. It helps right?

I love you all!


Love Elder McMullin

Praia West Zone

New area of Tarrafal, Sao Nicolau

This is right near Elder McMullin's home. He lives right on the beach!!

Week 93

Well this week i have some pretty excited news! The group got up to a record high frequency of 31! Fun fact about our group we only have 2 male members that are active that are old enough to have the priesthood and one was just baptized so he still doesnt have it. So that means me and my companion is 2 more. and 1 investigator that is a male adult. that is 31 minus 5. 26. That means 26 women and children were at our group this week. We are basically the same calling Mom! 

Working in this group involves a lot of passing recent converts seeing as every member is one almost! Mom asked how many members live in our area. Answer is 18 baptized members.
Other questions. Food is more or less the same between islands. There are some slight differences but mostly its rice fish chicken beans katxupa. I have been eating a ton of fruit since i have arrived in this area.

Am i going to be able to watch conference.... Doubt it! Seeing as we are in charge and we arent allowed to have laptops and such.... Honestly i have no idea though. I guess i will find out for sure this week.

How far do i walk? Less than most of my other areas. We only take haices when we need to go to the other elders area which we only do like every other week for district meeting and divisions. And it is like an hour ride. super pretty though through all the mountains and green areas.

The weather is super hot! But not as humid as praia. But i have heard this is one of the hottest areas on the mission. I think i have been to all the hottest now.

The other missionaries were able to get off last week! Finally everyone is where they are supposed to be.

No we have not recieved our call with our returning information. Maybe i will be extended and not make it home for christmas! haha just kidding!

I think that is it for this week! I love you and miss you all! That includes you too Bridger!

Love Elder McMullin

Week 92- Transferred to Sao Nicolau ...Tarrafal

(sacrament meeting in their house)

Welllllllllllllll I was transferred! My new area is Tarrafal! but not the one on the main island that i have already been to. This Tarrafal is on the island of Sao Nicolau. There are only 4 missionaries on the island and they are in 2 different towns. Both areas just have groups which means they arent even big enough to be a branch yet. The area that I am in has only been open for around a year. Which means everyone is a recent convert. So i guess the things that you guys will be most interested in hearing is that I am district leader of the island, group leader of our church group because we have no male priesthood holder to do it so i get to preside and conduct meetings, visit all the members to make sure everything is going well, and such, and also church is in our house. So this area is quite interesting. And seeing as i only have one transfer left after this one I will probably finish my mission here!

Some stories from this week. My first plane that was suppose to bring me here was cancelled due to rain but i was able to get here the next day. good thing too because if i didnt i wouldnt have gotten here for awhile! There are two elders that are suppose to leave this island but cant until this week due to planes and boats off the island are limited. My new companion is Elder Delgado. He is from Cape verde the island of Santo Antao. I have never been there but i know him because i was his district leader in fogo when he started the mission. He actually stayed with me a few days while he waited for his companion. Now he has a year on the mission! Time flies. The elder that i took the place of is Elder Bisk who i also knew on fogo when he started his mission. He is from Kaysville and i think used to live pretty close to where dad and christine and jordyn lived. He also played lacrosse but is 2 years younger than me, but he is still with us waiting for his boat tomorrow so he can finally go to his new area.

We had 2 baptisms this saturday and the area that i left had 2 baptisms on saturday as well! Once again i have an area baptizes in the ocean! That makes 4 out of my 6 areas on the mission that have had to do baptisms in the ocean.

I think that is it for this week!

Love Elder McMullin

week 91

So this week was pretty awesome! I have two cool things to tell you about and then i will answer moms questions. So first story was we had a group of investigators walking with us to church and this guy that claims to be a prophet (i have talked to him a few times before) comes up and starts yelling things about false churches and how joseph smith isnt our redeemer and things of the sort. telling the people they had a year and a half to repent or burn in hell.... Well i have enough experience to know that all you can do is hurry on the people and say have a good day until he left. Luckily everyone realized he was just crazy. 

Second story much more awesome... We had 15 investigators in church this week!!!!!! that is crazy. Like CRAZY high. It was so much fun but a little hectic trying to help them have members and stuff to take care of them but most of them had member friends so it was super awesome. now we just need to help them all out throught the week and help them realize the blessings so they will continue!

1. transfers.
yeah they are this week but for some reasons they will be in the middle of this week so i will tell you about them next week!

2. will i be transferred?
I have no idea.... haha i hope i will stay. i really like this area.

3. if i could go to another island that i have been to? not sure if you asked that the way you wanted...

but if i could return to any island. Well i only have the choice of fogo or sal... right now i would go back to fogo i think? i have some friends over there right now.

4. Will i tell you my weight?
yeah i guess so. I was 160 when i weighed myself a couple weeks ago.so im down 55 lbs from when i left the mtc. I am trying to eat super healthy and work out daily. really want a good habit so i can continue it when i get home....

So that is it for this week! i love you all! Have an awesome week!

Love Elder McMullin

Weight guessing during week 90

Elder McMullin let us know he finally was able to find a scale to weigh himself and now everyone was able to take a guess.

Gary (Hayden's dad) guessed 182
Chandler guessed 177
I (Mom) guessed 170
John guessed 175
Ryland guessed 160
Bridger guessed 127

Week 90

So this week was awesome again. But you all didnt ask questions this week so i dont know what to tell you about! We are still working with quite a few families. We had a few show up this week. The members went and passed a family and worked out all the things with some parents that didnt want to give permission in just one short visit and now they even bring the kids to church so we are getting some awesome help from the members!

Oh yeah highlight of the week. I was able to weigh myself. Everyone should guess what it was and i will think about telling you all!

I love you all! you really need to give me some specific questions because it is getting REALLY hard thinking of what to tell you all. The missionary lifestyle especially here in cape verde seems more normal than thinking of life at home at this point so it just all seems so normal to me! haha but still enjoying it and working with a ton of people.

Love you all!


Love Elder McMullin

Week 89

Well this week was strange! I had divisons with Elder Massey, we were in the MTC together but this was the first time we worked together just the two of us. It was fun and we had quite a bit of lessons. Also that meant the two people we are training were together but they did really well together. Then this week the stake did a wierd activity where every missionary in praia got a mini missionary for 2 days so it was like a two day division so i got to help my comp with his mini as well so we got to plan for 2 companionships in one area but it was good to teach a lot of people and once more we had quite a few families in church this week! All in all it was an awesome week!

Also Mom sent me questions this week so its question and answer time.

1. How often are zone conference and district meetings held?
Zone conferences are every 3 months. I only have one left..... District meetings are usually once a week unless something else is happening.

2. Schwarma?
Every now and again we make it.

3. How is my toe?
Pretty much all the way better.

4. Do i wear sandals?
Nope

5. My favorite seminary teacher?
Brother Ashcroft, I had him a couple times and he was really fun and a really good guy and teacher.

6. Am i actually in Praia?
Yep. I am one of the areas in Praia.

7. Has Elder Hingano been to Tonga?
Nope. Just Hawaii.

Well thats my update for this week! Oh yeah in case you are wondering somebody pointed out to me that working days left we have less than 100 now..... mind blowing. Very strange.

Love you all!
Love Elder McMullin

Picture of Elders Bullock, McMullin and Massey

Week 88- fun questions answered

Well Dad sent me some questions this week so I will spend the first part of the email responding said questions.

1. Status of my crown.

Uhhh its good. feels fine. I can eat well now. Only problem is it is very noticably a different color. but its in the back so its no biggie.

2. If the burgers I eat are from a place like McDonalds.

No.... they dont really have chains here of restaurants. Its just a small little restaurant that sells hamburgers. Like homemade grilled burgers. pretty good especially for here in cape verde.

3. My favorite thing to cook.

Hmmmm thats a tough one. I really like to make tres leches cake. or is baking not included? Well I also like to make stir fry like dishes. And salsa to put on things. And tacos. yeah one of those.

4. Can i cook something like cape verdian food.

Yeah..... i mean you give me rice beans and either fish or chicken and I can make quite a few of their dishes... haha. If i can get the right type of corn i could even do their main meal. katxupa.

5. Do the people here think he is from America.

Lots do. Some people have known other tongan missionaries and get it right away. its pretty impressive. Others think hes chinese. Others American. I dont think he has gotten cape verdean yet though.

This week was awesome. We had a ton of families that we are working with show up to church. Working a lot with part member families as well as well as friends of members at is helping a ton. In fact all of our progressing investigators either have a strong friend or family member in the church somewhere in cape verde. Member help is so important! 

I hope you all have fun going back to school! Cape verde gets out later so they dont go back until september. So a couple more weeks of summer here! And its still pretty dang hot too! And the rain should be starting up here shortly! We will see!

Love you all!

Love Elder McMullin

Week 87- the work continues!

So update for the week! My companion is adjusting! We have had some pretty crazy lesson experiences but in my opinion that helps to keep the excitement alive right?

It is really hot. We found a lot of really cool investigators this week. One is a family that is related to a lady that I did a baptismal interview for a couple months ago. So we are gonna ask her help to teach with us. She lives in a different elders area but its not too far.

A big family made it to church this week so we are working with them.
So yea thats what is going on!

Love you all!
Love Elder McMullin