Two Weeks Worth!

June 28, 2010 Elder Mulks did write last week - the email did not go through so I got last week's letter and this weeks today!

Hey Mom,

Everything is going swell! This week has been pretty crazy! Weather's cooled down (or feels like it has because the humidity is down).

I forgot if i sent dad a card for Fathers day or not yet, o well, i'll send one anyways.

Heh, you love that lawnmower story, don't ya? lol (The Spirit of God Like a Fire is Burning)!

Mmmmm...cupcakes...(I made a cupcake display for a wedding reception)

Heh, that's just like you, Replacing the bad with the good! (Not sure what he is referring too - my brain can't retain!)

I hope the Falters liked the graduation cakes you made! That's great that Bro. Falter is doing good from his burn accident.

I received a birthday card from Ruby with some money and I really appreciate the money she put in! I'm glad her surgery went well and there was no cancer - that's a blessing!

Yes, i got the shoes with some birthday money and have been using them profusely! We go running in the mornings. I also received a gift card from Auntie Rockie's family.

We can listen to conference talks, audio books(church related), etc...We usually listen to them in the car.

...Ugh...We were really hoping that they wouldn't go to the zoo...now we have to drop their date and/or move it back...it's really frustrating, they are doing so well at everything else, but church is just so important and they don't/can't see that(yet). (Some investigators who haven't been making out to church.)

We had a great Sunday School lesson too! good stuff! (I would have kept all the javelins away from Saul after the 1st time.lol) (Old Testament account of Saul trying to kill David)

OH, before i forget...we got another elder here...Elder B. So now we are in a tri-companionship (a tri-panionship). He's really a great guy and has been out for almost 3 months, so he's a youngin'. So no more M&M... it's M. M. & B!

I'll make sure the mail goes through today.

Alrighty,

Love Ya!!!

Elder Mulks

June 15, 2010 (Monday was transfers)

Elder Mulks wrote: (mom's comments in parentheses)

Everything is great out here. Weather is still miserable. Rain, humidity, more rain, sun, clouds...it's just crazy.

Transfer week is weird, our p-day is switched to Tues., the rest of them are on Mon.

(Mom mentioned being friended on facebook by someone in WV who might be one of Billy's investigators)

• She was looking for me, and she said that she had found you too. Yea, the same family. Heh, lol, yea. They have 3 kids-Akia(5), Angel(4), and Alex(2). They love it when we come over. We're going over to go fishing with them today(Tues). Phillip is a great guy too, he is, as Elder Mills describes him, "All the best of WV people in one person." He's a hoot! anytime we ask when we can come back, he says "How 'bout tomorrow?" Even if we were there for the past 3 days. Lol.

(In contact with this family, mom asked if they knew it was Elder Mulks' birthday and the reply was: "yah we knowed it was his birthday and we had him over for cake and ice cream")

• Yea, they said that they told ya.

(regarding Billy's birthday package, he had asked for a Truman Madsen audio book and Auntie Moo happened to have the paperback book that she gave me to put in his box)

• Yea, that's the one and it's awesome...but I was looking for the audio book. But I love the one y'all got - thank you Auntie Moo!

(I enclosed a birthday card from a friend at church and let Billy know she was having surgery soon and her son was concerned)

• .Thank Ruby for the birthday card and I'll be praying for her...and Justin

(Lacey had some beautiful weather for a couple days)

• Lucky weather! >_<

(mentioned about some cakes for wedding and graduation I'd be doing soon)

• Bake, bake, bake!

(Told Billy about taking a meal to some friends on his birthday and asked them to sing Happy Birthday to Billy before they ate )

• LOL, That's funny! Sounds good. How's Bro. Falter doin'?

(Always let Billy know how much I enjoy the Old Testament Sunday School Classes--current lesson from Samuel)

• Yea, it was cool. I don't know if I told you, but I'm reading the Old Testament From Beginning to end, and I'm in Jeremiah right now. So I'm ahead of the game! lol

(The Relief Society Lesson had a Christus on display - The Elders in Billy's zone gave a Christus to their Mission President and wife for Christmas)

• Cool, she had a Christus?

Alrighty, Hope everything is going well, I'll be sending you a package soon with a couple of souvenirs.

Love Ya!

Elder Mulks

Billy's Birthday Week - June 11, 1990!

Hey all!

How's the week been going for the lot of ya? Things are great down here is W VA!

Crazy weather continues with lightning storms that last but 10 min, rain like MAD, while at the same time it's 80F with 90% humidity, and then it's a comfortable 70F and sunny with no humidity(that i can feel). The storms around here freak me out. That one i mentioned, literally lasted all of 10 min. 3 min lightning and thunder, 4 min HEAVY rain, and another 3 min lightning and thunder then it was gone!

But no crazy lawn-mower related stories this week, sorry.

Anyways, hope y'all are well, and havin' fun!

Love ya!

Elder Mulks

Hey mom!

Everything is going great! We have been working our bums off! Every day this week has been HOT!!! But today is great, low 70's. I hope this continues for a while.

• That cat! lol (Miss Kitty sent Billy birthday wishes!)
  
• We had more lessons and new investigators than i've had since I was with Elder A.
• I'll get over to the shoe store tomorrow cuz we are in Webster Springs for p-day(today) and DM tomorrow. We checked out the Amish place, but it's a bulk food outlet and is REALLY expensive.
• Yea, our testimony meeting was great too.
• Cool, is Bro. Falter doing better? He's in my prayers.
  
• Do ya have any deacons? Or are they all teachers, like a few years ago? (talked about the young men growing up in the ward)
  
• I sure hope Jacob goes on a mission. (told Billy about a sweet testimony from a friend)
  
• Cool, great to hear that Cameron is going to be an Eagle!
• I miss the temple! I'm looking forward to going in 1yr and 3 months.
• Cool. Yea, we're getting a ton of new elders. I'll get to see all the names of the new elders next ZC. (Zone Conference) (Part of the Cincinnati, OH mission is merging into the WV Charleston Mission next month).
  
• ...book? What book?You mean Truman G. Madsons' audio book/talk that I was askin' about? Mmmm...Scotts chocolate silk pie...
• Yea, we only got through Samuel(in the Old Testament) too. It was a good lesson. Though, we missed the first part because we gave a blessing to a LA(less active)/Part Member families son who's going in for a check up today at a neurologist.
• Haven't heard anything about getting a violin yet. but I'll let you know when I do!
• The lawn back yet? (our new front lawn Mike planted is growing great)
  

Okay! Hope you enjoy this next week!

Love ya!

Elder Mulks

TheSpirit of God Like a Fire is Burning!!!!!!!!

Hey all!

Every thing's going great out here! The weather has been brutal though...high 80's to low 90's with 80-90% humidity, BRUTAL! I greatly dislike the weather here and can't wait for winter again!

Our investigators that were doing the stop smoking workshop are doing great! She's completely smoke free and he's reduced his chewing to an all-time low!

Here's a fun experience---We tracted into a family and started teaching them on their porch. Well, there's this guy mowing their embankment and it's really loud, we have to yell so that they can hear us. But as we get to the First Vision, the lawn mower catches on fire and he chucks it into the stream(about a 5ft drop!). That was hilarious! The rest of the lesson went great and they agreed to read and pray about it and have us come back! Woohoo! The Lord really does work in mysterious ways! (Hence the title: The Spirit of God Like a Fire is Burning!)

Well, hope y'all are doin' well!

Love Ya!
Elder Mulks

Hey, mom!

Sorry for the late mail, but it being Memorial Day, the libraries were closed. It's been hot, hot, HOT! In the high 80's low 90's all week with 80-90% humidity. No fun in that way!

• Oh, man! hope he heals up good! I wonder if he's asked for a blessing... (referring to a friend of ours who was burned badly and in the hospital)

• Yea, it just started raining today...but it's still in the high 70's.

• So, Ben finally sent something? lol took him forever! He hasn't replied to me yet, though. (one of Billy's friends serving a mission in Japan - his mom showed me photos on Sunday)

• lol. Thats how it is for us...ALL THE TIME!!! We have to not speak up so that the other members can have a chance to answer. (referring to answering questions in Sunday School)

• Yay! Yoli! I would like to grab some regular shoes, the closed-toed sandals are only good for so much. There is a shoe outlet in our mall here, too. So if you could put some money on my card, I'll grab a pair there. Also, something that Dad might have(I'm not sure) that I'd like a copy of is the Truman G. Madsen Joseph Smith Lecture Series. And I believe that there are other series', but I'm not sure. (Billy's birthday is June 11 and I asked what he wanted)

• Cool! Tell me all about it! (a friend soon to come home from his mission)

Okey dokie!

Love Ya!!
Elder Mulks

May 24, 2010 response to my email

Hey mom!

Every things going well out here! Not a whole lot happening at the moment though...our investigators that were taking the stop smoking workshop were sick yesterday, so they weren't at church. The wife is doing great and should be smoke free now, but the husband is still working on quitting snuff.

• DL (District Leader) stuff is going all right. Got a DM (District Meting) tomorrow. Had ZC (Zone Conference) on Fri. Great time!

• The weather is crazy out here. It's been rainy and sunny and rainy and humid and sunny...crazy!

• Crazy cats! (in response to Miss Kitty jumping up on me and using her claws to dig in)

• Say hi to autie moo for me! (Billy's Auntie Moo is here for a couple of days)

• Yes, i do... (remembers me having him play the hymn, "Come Unto Jesus" on the violin.

• Oh, it's actually on the Camp Helaman website? I thought that it was just on Youtube. (Billy's former Young Men's President spoke to me in church about seeing the video of Billy receiving his mission call on a church website)

• Heh, we spoke in sacrament yesterday too! On the Abrahamic Covenant...not something i'm too familiar with. Poor bishop Bruce! LOL (Told Billy that Bishop Bruce was back this week from being out with eye surgery last week - also Cameron Bruce spoke in Sacrament yesterday)

• Heh, Derick hated that name(Spiekerman), he always said that he was going to have it changed to Wiley. (One of Billy's friends connected with me on facebook)

• WHAT?!?!?!?! You liked something w/ rhubarb?!?!?! (all my life I have hated rhubarb - last night I ate a dessert that Scott made with it and I actually liked it! I told Billy about it because I knew he would be surprised - I have been adamant my whole life that no one could make anything with rhubarb in it that I would like"!

Okey-dokie! Hope ya have a great week!!

Love Ya!!

Elder Mulks

New Address

Elder Mulks called on Mother's Day and we were so happy to hear his voice. Billy sounds so good and is doing well.

If you would like to write to Billy, here's the new address:

Elder William W. Mulks
231 Days Drive
Sutton, WV 26601

The new area is sixty miles north of Charleston.

The Elder has been losing weight - 33# to date! His clothes are getting very loose on him - Yikes - maybe need new suits after awhile!

Typical diet: Cream of wheat with a spoonful of jam for breakfast; Apple/Banana/Protein for lunch and stirfry for dinner. Not much time to cook - mostly on Preparation days. Their new P-Day is Monday. That changed recently.

We learned there are 56 areas in the WV Charleston Mission and only 10-15 are bike areas.

There is going to be a new stake formed in July - "Huntington" Stake.

Billy's newsletter from last week - sorry I didn't post sooner. Here goes:

Hey All!

Things have been going great out here! I know that I didn't send a newsletter out last week, but I'm sending one this week...so deal with it! LOL

But n e ways! I've been transferred! I'm not in a little place called Flatwoods. It's near the geographical center of WV! Our area covers a MASSIVE AREA OF WV!!!!!

Normally we only cover 1 county, if that. But here...we cover 3 counties! So, lots of fun, especially seeing as we have limited miles as missionaries (here we have 1300 miles/approx. 42 miles/day)

I have the pleasure of opening the area too. That means that there haven't been missionaries here for a time and they are putting them back in. So that means 2 new missionaries coming into an area that they have no idea where anything is. So that's fun! But I love it!

In addition to that, I've been called as a District Leader. Meaning that I'm over my companion and another set of Elders. I get to teach the 3X/transfer, and I go on exchanges with them every transfer. Hard work, but lots of fun! Well, I think that's about it! Hope all y'all's week is awesome!

It's Transfer Week!

Elder Mulks has been out in the mission field for 7 1/2 months. His first area was just over the south border of WV into Virginia and his second area was not far from it in the southern most part of WV.

Billy said: Hey mom!
Things are going well here. Lots of hot days. It feels like we skipped spring and went straight from winter to summer! The past 4 days have been in the high 80's with high humidity.


Billy said he is being transferred this week to a tiny spot called Flatwoods which is about 50 miles north of Charleston as far as I can tell. Right on the major freeway going north out of Charleston which is where the Mission Home is. He has a new companion - Elder M. Billy has been called to be a district leader. Billy said he was getting "doubled in" to Flatwoods and the only other explanation he gave was that they are opening the area - basically starting from ground zero. He doesn't know his address yet so hopefully I can get that on Sunday when he is supposed to get to call home. I'll have a ton of other questions too and will take notes so I can share any news with you.

When I told Billy that I had donated birthday cakes to our scout fundraiser/auction, Billy mentioned a lady in the Peterstown area who does cake decorating as a side job and she is REALLY good. She does a lot of the kinds of things that the "Ace of Cakes" crew does. That is a crew on cable tv that specialize in amazing cakes. Billy also said it was cool about the bids for my cakes because they are worth it! (Sweet of him to say)

There wasn't a newsletter this week - just a response to my email. Elder Mulks is going to be a very busy young man - more so than he has been!

I had asked about all the Stake visitors in his branch last week and Billy said that they released and called a new Branch Presidency.

If you write before I get a new address, send it to the mission office posted in this blog. Otherwise, hopefully on Sunday, I'll have his new address and more information.

Billy sends his love and I appreciate your support.