Meet Kira

Yes....we would love you all to meet Kira!! She is a most capable and beautiful daughter of God and a miracle of our mission here in London.

We first met her on May 24th, 2016 when she came into the Visitors Center.  As she came in we stood to greet her and when we looked at each other she could not speak.  Tears were flowing from both of us.  She said "I don't know why I am crying"  I explained that if she had a little bit of time we could share with her why she was feeling this way.


The Spirit is an incredible teacher.  We find that day in and day out here on our mission.

We spent the next hour and a half with her in the Visitors Center.  She shared with us that she had walked past the Visitors Center several times before getting the courage to walk up those steps and come in.  I will be forever grateful that she came when we were on shift.  We have a bond now that we know will last forever.

Kira is a dancer and choreographer who has built her own dance instruction/choreography business from scratch. She is very capable and consequently very successful. She had first learned about the Church from a young man she had met while on a cruise ship.  He was in a performing group on the ship and they hit it off instantly.  He suggested that she inquire about our Church and beliefs.  She contacted Mormon.org and had had several lessons with missionaries online.  So when she came to the Visitors Center she was so very prepared.  I was privileged to sit in on lessons while she was being taught by Sisters Griffeth and Hannig.  During the second lesson the sisters had prayed previously and felt inspired to challenge her to a baptismal date in early July.  Her response was.."Do I have to wait that long?"  Wow.  WOW!!  They told her she did not but that she would need to attend church three weeks in a row.  That would not be a problem for Kira.  In fact, the first Sunday she came she had gone out and bought new clothes to wear to church because she had always seen the sisters wearing cardigans so she thought she would need to have a cardigan for church.  Oh she just makes my heart soar.

Three weeks later on Sunday June 12th Kira was baptized a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  I thought I would share my journal entry from that day with you.  She asked Michael to baptize her which was such a tender connection for all of us.

On the day of her baptism I wrote:

  I remember Christopher writing home from his mission about a day he had baptized an entire family. It was so sweet. Today we did not baptize an entire family but we did baptize a family for the future. We have been teaching Kira for the past three weeks and today she was baptized. Michael had the privilege of baptizing her and she had asked me to speak at her baptism. She was nervous when she came to the VC prior to the meeting block but by the time the block was over she was great. We had made a chicken salad for her to tide her over. So we went to the kitchen and talked while we ate our salad. 

Once Kira finished eating we were off to get changed into her baptismal clothes. I showed her the room and waited outside the door. When she opened the door standing there in white I was taken back and she was brought to tears. We stepped inside the ladies restroom, she took a look at herself in the mirror and said "I look so Biblical". And indeed she did. She glowed. We took some pictures in front of the font. Then we went upstairs to the institute room where the service was being held. The room was filled to overflowing. Such a sweet thing to watch these young people support each other on their journeys. And President and Sister Stevens joined us as well. I gave my talk, nervous as usual. And a YSA spoke on the atonement. The moment was here. We went downstairs to the baptistry. We made certain that her mom Gloria had a Front row seat. Michael did a wonderful job and as Kira came out of the waters of baptism she was glowing. I went back to see if she needed anything. She was in tears. Tears of joy. I just love her.
We went back to the room and heard a special musical number and the Relief Society and Elders Quorum presidents welcomed her and Jetnar, another young adult who was also baptized, to the ward. We closed with There is Sunshine in my Soul. Indeed there was sunshine beautiful sunshine. I spent the next hour with Kira and her mom. I love her mom. It was a sweet sacred day for sure!

She was literally GLOWING!!

                                  

Sisters Hannig and Griffeth taught Kira the Gospel

So grateful for the loving support of Kira's mom!!

We have remained close with Kira ever since her baptism.  We love her so very much.  How grateful we are to our Father in Heaven that she came into our lives.  We will be forever grateful.

Looking Back

Well, our taxes are submitted to the accountant.  Woo hoo!!  That's the advantage of being a young missionary.  You don't have to worry about filing taxes.  It's been an interesting experience to try and do taxes without our files close at hand.  Thanks to our dear friend Cindy for her constant service to us while we serve here.  We could not do this without her. 

We continue to stay very busy.  We love serving in the England London Mission.  Today the mission held its Mission Leadership Council.  It was so fun to see missionaries who were just new to the mission when we came last May now called as leaders in the mission. Such amazing youth we have the privilege to serve with here in London.

For recording purposes we are going to take a look back at some of our experiences since arriving here.  The lovely month of May found us adjusting to mission life.  We love our little flat located halfway between the Hyde Park Chapel Visitor Center and Harrods.  For those of you who do not know, Harrods is one of the largest department stores in the world and probably one of the most expensive as well.  It was an adjustment to be on shift 6 hours a day 6 days a week, which is really closer to 7 or 8 hours depending on the day.  One week we work the 9 am to 3 pm shift and the next week we work the 3 pm to 9 pm shift with Thursday as our pday.  Thats when we get to do laundry, clean the flat, and go exploring.
Laundry is interesting here.  We have a combined washer/dryer in the same machine which basically means the dryer does not dry...hehe.  So we have laundry strung across the kitchen and hope for the best that it will dry in 24 hours.  Never take a clothes dryer for granted again.

Prior to coming on our mission Michael had told me that wherever we were called he would get me a Bosch so I could continue to bake to my hearts content.  He kept that promise!!

 Little did I know how different it would be to bake here in England.  Not only is the humidity so much higher but the ingredients I am so used to having at home are not available here such as shortening, brown sugar, karo syrup, etc etc etc.  The biggest problem of all is the FLOUR.  No matter what I tried to bake it never turned out like it did at home.  Challenge ACCEPTED!!  Thanks to incredible family and friends we received literally suitcases filled with flour, brown sugar, diced green chilis, tortilla shells, shortening and a boatload of other delectable goods.  So very grateful for the goodness of people to bring these to us.  Let the baking begin!!

Just today we took about 15 dozen chocolate chip cookies to the Visitors Center and by the time we left they were pretty much gone.  It is such a treat to hand these missionaries a few home made cookies.  Just love the looks on their faces!  Before our family and friends brought the treasured goods to us we went on several hunts throughout London in search of American baking goods.  Through online research I discovered the flour is different here in the UK due to the protein content so it bakes differently.  They have plain flour, soft flour, strong flour, bread flour, very strong flour, self rising flour....and the list goes on.  We heard about The American Store in Notting Hill.  So one day after shift we grabbed our trolley (the shopping bag on wheels) and headed out across Hyde Park in search of American flour.  And look what we found on the way!!

Our first time through Hyde Park.  So beautiful.  

The Prince Albert Memorial

Royal Albert Hall

 And across the lake, home to beautiful white swans and ducks, lies

Kensington Palace!!

To this day we will often look each other in the eye and say "Pinch me please"  Are we really here?  We made it to the American Food Store where everything was pretty much double or triple the price it is in America.  But familiar was good and we filled our trolley and made our way home ready to bake the next batch of cookies or loaf of bread for those amazing missionaries.

We also experienced our first official wedding at the Hyde Park Chapel.  In England they are required by law to be wed first before going to the Temple.  So this young couple, Svenja and Aaron, made their way down the aisle of the chapel and officially became husband and wife before heading south to the London Temple where they were sealed for time and all eternity.

What a tremendous blessing it is for us to serve here.  We love testifying of Jesus Christ.  We set goals daily as we begin each shift with the sisters as to what we want to accomplish during the shift.  We see miracles every day.

A December to Remember in London

Well it is the day after Christmas and I am feeling a strong desire to share with those I love at home the tender feelings we have felt this month as we serve here in the England London Mission.  My desire to keep an updated blog has been moved further down the TO DO list time after time... but home is calling me and I am longing to connect with those we hold so dear!!  We want to share with you just a glimpse of this most amazing experience.

We have a small flat so decorating for Christmas this year was a little different from years past.  Instead we got to decorate the Visitors Center with the other senior couples and the sisters.  It was so much fun.  

With a tree in the Lobby.  Sisters Griffeth and Von helped "fluff" the branches 

and Elder Mullen took care of the ornaments on top.

A second tree was added with ornaments, or baubles as they are called here, 

handmade by the children of the Hyde Park Stake Primary.  

They loved coming and finding their bauble on Sunday.

And this was the finished product.  Wow.  Truly a sight to behold!!

And the Christmas lights went up all over London as well.  We find it very fun to ride the bus instead of taking the tube or underground.  Even though it takes longer we love seeing more of London as we travel to and fro.  Front row seats on top of the double deckers are the BEST!!

 This skating rink is literally a block away and is on the property of the 
Natural History Museum.  
Such a delight to pass by every day.

 And these are the ANGEL lights on Regent Street.  Still amazes us time after time that we are able to serve here and Light the World in our own way in London.

And these sweet lights were found just around the corner on Oxford Street.

And the busy tubes....yeah not exactly my favorite part!

Everywhere we go we take "Light the World" pass along cards and invite people on buses and on the street and on the tube to stop by the Visitors Center to see the Light the World video.  It's amazing the super powers this black name badge gives us.  We LOVE IT!!

In late November we bid adieu to these amazing sister missionaries.  Oh my how we will miss them.  Sister Croft on the left returned to her home in Kaysville, Utah.  Sister Griffeth returned to her home near Preston Idaho and Sister Kerr in the middle stayed for three more weeks until her parents arrived to pick her up from Mesa Arizona.  It was a sweet reunion that we had the privilege of witnessing.

Sister Kerr with her parents just after they reconnected following her 18 month mission here at the Visitors Center.

We absolutely love serving with the young sisters.  I was so sad when I was released as Young Women's President in Granite Bay but Michael and I are really grateful to have these new young women to love on.  Our hearts are full.

These sisters are (beginning on the front row from Left to Right) Sister Dabrowska from Poland, Sister Zeng from mainland China (she joined the church just 18 months ago and had to fly to Hong Kong in order to get baptized), Sister Koiv from Estonia (one of our favorite little countries), Sister Wallace from Maui Hawaii (second row) Sister Kerr from Mesa Arizona, Sister Yau from Hong Kong, Sister Von from Woods Cross, Sister Gregson from Edmonton Alberta Canada and Sister Fuhriman from Wisconsin.  We are totally in love with these sisters.  As you can see we cover the globe with our sisters.  Which is particularly critical at the Visitors Center as the guests here are literally from all over the world.

It is a tradition here in the Hyde Park Stake at Christmas time to hold an international festival celebrating the diverse cultures present in the Hyde Park Stake.  Over 105 languages are spoken in this Stake alone.  And they thrive on their differences.  It was a delightful evening with a fun "Name that National Anthem" game and performances from all different nationalities.  It was held in the Cultural Hall which by the way was so named originally in the Hyde Park Chapel.  When the Chapel building plans were sent to the local government for approval they were declined as they did not allow churches to have gymnasiums.  So President McKay suggested they rename it a Cultural Hall.  They did so, resubmitted the plans and they were approved!!  And we have used the term cultural hall in the church ever since!!

Elder and Sister Wade from So Cal are the YSA missionaries here and they are delightful as you can see from their picture above.  They work tirelessly serving and feeding and feeding and serving the young adults of the Brittania Ward which meets here in this building.  We have grown to love them and their flock.  They fed them a Christmas dinner here followed by an evening of Scottish Folk dancing with a live band and caller.  I don't think I've ever seen an event that involved every single person.  It was truly a gift for these young people.

The parlor of the Charles Dickens Home

We spent one pday in December going to the Charles Dickens Home/Museum which had been decked out for Christmas.  This week we will go on a costumed walking tour of the streets of London that Dickens frequented.  I can't wait.  Following our visit to the museum we headed to Portabello Road to do a little Christmas shopping.  It was a chilly perfect December Day!!

The next preparation day we found ourselves at the Victoria and Albert Museum and followed it up with a trip to the Christmas Light Show at Kew Gardens.  Perfect for putting us in the Christmas Spirit. 

Our favorite displays at Kew Gardens were the Partridge in a Pear tree fire rings and the Light show at the end synchronized with Christmas Carols.

The next Preparation day we headed over to Soho or The West End Theatre District as they call it here.  We were able to see Simon Callow in a one man production of A Christmas Carol.  It was beyond amazing.  80 minutes straight dialogue, no intermission.  He moved between narrating and acting the parts.  Phenomenal production.  Perfect for our Christmas here in London. 

Afterwards we quickly headed over to St Pauls Cathedral for their Celebration of Christmas.  We waited in the longest cue we have yet experienced. Had Disneyland beat for sure.  We were told the chances of getting into the Cathedral were possible so on that clear winter night we stood in line and visited with the folks in front of us.  And to our surprise and delight not only did we get in but along with just 30 other people we got the best seats in the house.  At the last minute they opened the only gallery in the Cathedral, just to the right overlooking the sanctuary that held the orchestra, choir and readers.  Unbelievable Christmas gift for us.  Pinch me please.  The program included readings from Charles Dickens, poetry, and most importantly Luke 2. The audience joined in on many of the Christmas Carols. And the readers were Vanessa Redgrave and her daughter, another famous British Actor by the name of Fox and Benedict Cumberbatch. Hands down THE BEST Christmas Concert we have ever attended.  Such a gift.

A Christmas Celebration from the Gallery at St. Pauls Cathedral

And our last Pday prior to Christmas was the VERY BEST as we were able to take Kira Bishop to the temple for the first time to do baptisms for the dead.  Kira came into the Visitors Center the first week we were here in May.  She had passed the Visitors Center several times and could not get the courage to come up the steps and enter in.  She had been taught online by missionaries and the spirit as she entered the chapel overwhelmed her and us.  Our sisters taught her, we sat in on the lessons and Michael baptized her just 3 weeks later and have been very close ever since.  She has remained so faithful as she has grown in the Gospel.  We just adore her.  So we could not begin to think of a better Christmas gift than to spend the day with her as she entered those temple doors for the first time.  Oh my, the Lord is so very good to us.  We had a bonus as we were greeted at the temple by Joseph's mission president and his wife, the Irwins who are currently serving in the London Temple Presidency now going on their fourth year.  We love them so dearly.

I hope one day my friends at home will get to meet this amazing woman.  
She is lovely, talented, an amazing dancer and business woman, 
a faithful follower of Jesus Christ and such a joy!!

Mission zone conferences were held the week before Christmas and it was so fun to watch these missionaries gather to focus on Jesus Christ and the purpose for which they are here.  And it was a joyous occasion as following their morning meeting they donned their Christmas "Jumpers" (sweaters) and celebrated with lunch, gift exchange and games.  All included President and Sister Stevens.  I have never seen a greater love than the love the Stevens have for their missionaries.  So very sweet!!

Christmas Eve there is a tradition in the mission that all the senior missionaries of the England London Mission celebrate Christmas with a luncheon at President and Sister Stevens flat which is in the building next door to the Hyde Park Chapel.  We gathered together, ate a wonderful lunch and sang Christmas Carols led by President Stevens, a former member of the Tabernacle Choir.  From there we walked as a group to Royal Albert Hall where we attended a Candlelight Christmas Concert.  The Visitors Center is open 7 days a week year round from 9 am to 9 pm so a senior couple is always required to be present during those hours.  Our sweet directors, Elder and Sister Hulet, covered so that we could attend the afternoon concert.  We are so grateful.

Lunch and caroling at the Mission Home.

The concert included a choir and orchestra, all dressed in period costume.  We loved that they read Luke 2.  That would seldom happen in a public concert in the United States.  

We could learn much from our Mother Country.

Following the concert we received special permission from Salt Lake Headquarters to close the Visitors Center at 6 pm in order to celebrate Christmas Eve with our sisters.  The Hulets opened their home and their hearts and welcomed us in.  Each senior couple had purchased a gift for each of the sisters so that they each had three gifts to open.  We had a taco feed, opened gifts around the Christmas tree, watched the Tabernacle Choir Christmas Special from 2013 about Charles Dickens (which featured a member of the Young Single Adult ward here as Charles Dickens), and ended the evening with Elder Hulet reading from Luke 2 and all joining in on Silent Night.

Can you see why we are in love with these young women!!!

And Christmas in the Mullen home would not quite be the same without a few Gingerbread men.  We had to get creative this year with flat surfaces for drying the frosting.  And delivery was a much different process but thanks to good souls who have brought us American brown sugar, King Arthur flour, shortening and powdered sugar we were able to bring a part of home here to our flat and to our mission.  Thank you kind souls for being so good to us. We ended up making over 300 gingerbread men....not bad for a single oven and small cookie sheets.

The highlight of this Christmas season for us at the Hyde Park Visitors Center was the live Nativity.  The last week in November they installed a stable at the end of the ramp which leads to our front door.  Each evening for 2 to 3 hours we had members or missionaries "starring" as Mary and Joseph.  The Church media department sent us costumes like they used in the Bible Videos and weighted baby dolls that felt like a real baby.  When missionaries were featured as either Joseph or Mary then their companion would be on the street inviting onlookers to come inside the Visitors Center and see our Light the World Video. We offered to take photos for any who so desired.  We even invited children to enter in and "hold" the baby Jesus.  Each evening we would challenge ourselves and the sisters to hand out so many pass along cards.  The nights where there were events at the Royal Albert Hall the foot traffic was amazing as we are between the tube station and Royal Albert Hall.  Sometimes we handed out as many as 3 dozen pass along cards an hour!!  It was soooo much fun.  When children stopped we offered them a Light the World pass along card as a "ticket" to see the movie inside.  They LOVED it and so did we!!  One of our favorite admirers was a little boy named James and his little brother.  They live in the mews behind the Church and so passed by the nativity every day.  They loved getting a "ticket" to the movie.

 James and his brother visited us daily

We loved the evenings when we had a "real" baby Jesus!!  Though the weather was definitely cold.  

We did have a little heater inside the stable.

And yes, one night they even let this old gramma and grampa play Joseph and Mary.

We love that Christmas fell on a Sunday this year.  All the wards met together as there is no public transportation available in London on Christmas Day.  The leaders were not expecting many to be able to attend.  Imagine their surprise and delight when both the chapel and the cultural hall were filled.  It was a beautiful Sacrament meeting.  Our friend Mark was confirmed a member of the Church and received what he says to be his best Christmas present ever....the Gift of the Holy Ghost. 

Elders Speiser and Helistro with Mark on Christmas Day.

 Christmas Dinner at our flat.

 The wonderful poster from the ward members back home adorned our flat.

 Christmas wouldn't be quite the same without a puzzle to build.

Home Sweet Home

Today was once again our Pday which we spent cleaning our flat and preparing for the Johnsons from Sacramento to come and visit tomorrow.  We decided to head out for a bit and went to see the tree at Trafalgar Square that is donated every year from Norway in gratitude for the help England gave to their country during World War II.  We finished there around 615 and decided at the last minute to go to the West End and see if there were tickets available for a show.  We had heard that Half a Sixpence was an appropriate and fun musical so we decided to try to get tickets.  They had front row aisle seats in the royal dress circle.  AMAZING!!  It was our favorite West End show yet and that is saying A LOT!!  Oh my goodness, if you ever get a chance you should definitely add it to your list of MUST SEE's. 

And so it goes for the Mullen Missionaries.  We love our mission.  We love greeting people day in and day out at the Visitors Center.  December was a busy month with many 10-12 hour days because of needing extra hands for the Nativity.  We pray that areas where there are not missionaries will be able to accept them soon.  It's so disheartening when we cannot send a referral because there are no missionaries allowed in that country.  We miss our family and friends deeply but we DID Christmas on a mission.  Yippee....and we did not just survive...we loved it.  Did we miss family?  Oh my yes!!  But thank goodness for Facetime. Such a wonderful gift for us.  Thank you to a loving Heavenly Father who is always there for us.  May He bless your lives as He has ours!!