To: Mom

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I tried to send you a foto, but since we use computers in a library - it's free! but has limited options.  But I'm sending out some letters today with photos :)

Winter has arrived.  Campo Mourão is definitely colder than other parts.  Maringá is only 2 hours or so away, but when we go there for our district meeting we leave the bus and it's a lot hotter.  We've been getting a lot of wind and rain.  But it's been fun and makes us more grateful for the hot weather when it arrives. 

Yesterday we got to watch the broadcast from Provo about missionary work. I loved it and it was really done well.  I'm so grateful for a living prophet and apostles.  I know that missionary work moves so much faster and is so much more affective when members participate.  Right now we are teaching Flavio who is a friend and co-worker of our branch mission leader.  It's so amazing to see how the Gospel helps us make changes in our lives.  That because of the atonement we can become better, we can receive strength from God.  Having faith is knowing that the impossible becomes possible with the power of God. 

It's been so great to continue to see the growth of Marcia who was baptized a few weeks ago.  She continues to radiate joy and has opened up so much.  Thereś nothing better to bring joy to your heart than to see those you love and care for living the gospel.  One of the things that was really great this week was a lesson we had with the Grandma of one of the young adults here.  She's a great woman, but doesn't have much desire to go to church.  It was a powerful visit and so neat to hear the testimony of the granddaughter. How much she wants to help her Grandma gain a testimony because of the blessings that come from this.  It's truly the sweetest fruit. 

This week our new President and his family will be arriving in the mission, President Genaro.  It will be sad to see Pres & S. Tavares go, but they have served their all.  I know that we will love and be blessed with our new President.  If we get tired after 18 months - 2 years, imagine 3 years.  I'm so grateful for their service and love.  I know that this church is true.  That God is our Heavenly Father and he loves us.  I know that Christ atoned for our sins, that through his sacrifice we can repent and receive all of the ordinances of the Gospel.  I know that people can always change.  That the things most difficult is trying to be more like our Savior. 

Have a great week!!!  Love you all!

These three photos are among my favorites.  Above is Sister Bullen receiving a pkg. from home.  She says "This captures the joy of packages from home."

This would be taken May 9th on her 1 year anniversary.  The sisters in the house threw her a surprise party at the end of the day.

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Sister Bullen has lived with these three sisters quite a bit of her time in the mission.  Sister P., Sister M., and Sister M., along with Sister Bullen.  Their personalities show in their faces, and you can see why she loves each of them (they have such sweet personalities).  

Laura Ann Bullen

10:55 AM

To: Mom

Hope you all had a great week.  Here our week flew by.  Sister H.  and I decided that maybe we shouldn't travel anymore together.  We don't have any luck!  haha we travelled Tuesday-Saturday this week and something happened each time that made it more difficult.  This week we did the normal travel for district meeting, but we also had interviews with President Tavares, zone conference, and we went on splits for one day with the sisters who are in the city of Cascavel which is about 4 hours from here by bus.
We worked little in our area this week and when we arrived Saturday we were ready and excited to work. We were blessed with the little time that we had here and we have some great new investigators.  Rose, is a contact we made a week or so ago, that our commitment fell through because of travelling.  Sunday morning was freezing and raining and we went to pass by some of our investigators and others to go to church.  We were a little late to return for church, but I couldn't stop thinking about Rose and our commitment that fell through.  SO we decided to swing by her and see if she would go to church with us. So we ended up there and she and two of her sons went with us to church.  It was amazing and such a blessing!  We were so excited and love it when people go to church!  There's nothing better then to see new faces at church :) 

You said it would be fun to hear a little about Sister H., I guess I haven't said much, sometimes I feel like somehow you already know everything that happens :)  I think you already know she's from Chile- from the South.  And in her town, they have a branch.  She's the only member in her family.  She has 1 year and 2 months in the mission (we actually passed through the MTC at the same time, but because of the language barrier we didn't do too much together).  She is really sweet and sometimes quiet.  But like me she has a good sense of humor and can be pretty quick.  haha its pretty funny with us two together. People think ahh what sweet sisters and then they see our other side. haha just kidding... We don't cause any trouble.  But she loves to sing and she is really great. 

What else happened this week?  I gave my testimony in church on Sunday.  haha the legacy continues with Sister Butler and Sister Bullen in the same ward.  Everyone thinks our names are almost the same thing, which they are.  Sometimes we even confuse our own names.  Last Sunday the counselor who was conducting announced that Sister Butler would bear her testimony but was looking at and nodded at me! haha and I thought, ha yeah right, he said Sister BUTLER. we laughed about it and she said after that he had already asked her.  Just that many people don't conquer to say our names right, especially when we're together. 

I want to send photos, but the computers that we use, won't let me, so I'll have to do it the old-fashioned way.  Hope you all have a great day and week. Love you!!  (She did send them in another email, and they are at the bottom of this message.)

And happy fathers day to alll the amazing fathers.  I'm so grateful for my dad and the amazing figure he is in my life.  I'm grateful for his love, his help, his patience, his sense of humor.  And mostly, for his testimony and love for the gospel.  For the worthy priesthood holder he is!  I love you daddy!! 

I'm grateful for Brian who is waiting for a special little boy.  Happy 1st fathers day!

I'm grateful for my 2 great Brothers-in law.  Happy fathers day!  Thank you for loving and taking care of my sisters and my nieces!

Thank you to my Grandpa who is one of the best fathers I know!  Who raised my mom and taught her so many Christlike values and loved her.  He is an amazing example for me. 

Thank you to all of the `Fathers`who have been there for me and have been examples for me in many years in our family ward! 

Mostly, i am so grateful for Heavenly Father.  I know that God is my father and that he loves me. That we all have a purpose here on earth. 

Hope you all had a great Fathers Day yesterday!

These two photos are from last week's Zone Conference.

I just found this in Laura's Facebook page.  I wanted to include it in Laura's blog for her, so she will find it when she returns home.  It is such a sweet message.  I will email it to her also.


Sister Bullen on 31/05/2013 was a sad day for me because I received the news that you moved it was hard to get used to the idea that a person I loved so much is gone. Sister I really like you, will never forget you because it was you who grew a seed in my heart the desire to serve a mission, thank you for everything, I want you to know I love you so neither time nor distance will delete I lived with você.Oro everyday Heavenly Father for the angels watch over you wherever you esteja.Te Love will never forget you, you will leave many memories! Love you

Mom, here is a photo of our last mission leadership counsel. Enjoy! Love you!! 

To: Mom

Thatś really sad about Bob Weaver. I'll definitely keep Roberta and the family in my prayers. Makes me so grateful to know to that I have a testimony of eternal families. 

This past week was really good, but it flew by. This Saturday we had the Baptism of Marcia. It was great and really neat.  She has fear of water and it was really neat to see how her desire to be baptized and her trust in the Lord helped her overcome this fear.  It has been so neat teaching her and seeing her make changes in her life.  The best thing in the mission is definitely being able to see people stay firm and steadfast in the Gospel. To see how people can accept and be blessed through the atonement of Christ.  I know that the first covenant we make with God is baptism that is the first step to enter into the Kingdom of God.  That our families can be together forever through the power of God when we follow the example of Christ.  I know that God blesses us when we put all of our confidence in him and his power.  I know that we are blessed for living the commandments of God. That we can have happiness and peace through the Gospel. 

This week we also went to Londrina for our meeting.  It was so neat and really special to feel the spirit that was there.  President Tavares always asks the missionaries who will be leaving at the end of the transfer to bear their testimonies.  This time it included Pres and Sister Tavares too.  As our new president will be arriving in the beginning of July.  It was sad, but really special to hear their testimonies.  I'm so grateful for everything that they have taught me and the love I feel from and for them.  I'm grateful for the sacrifices and love they have for this Gospel and for this work. 

This week was really short with travelling, but is was a great week and I'm excited to work better in our area here. 

I love you all and hope you have a great week. 

To: shaunaraeb@hotmail.com

Campo Mourão is an amazing area and its been really great.  Sister H. has only a few more weeks than me in the mission (in the field its one transfer, but I arrived in the CTM when she had 3 weeks in the CTM) but it's going great together.  It's fun to work with her and teach together.  We have fun with our accents and learning little bits of Spanish.  Sister B. is companions with Sister S. from the Northern part of Brasil - this is her 2nd transfer. 

Campo Mourão is an amazingggg branch.  It's growing a lot and the branch has a plan to divide into 2 wards by January.  Our attendance at church was 115 so its a good little branch.  The city is small, but one person said it has about 60,000 people. But I'm not sure how many people are here.  The branch is really involved and everyone is really excited to see the branch split.  So we have a lot of work and service to do to see the growth that needs to happen.  Our members are willing and excited to give references and to help.  I love that!!  It's so great to know that our members have trust in us and that we have so much more purpose in the work when our members work with us. 

Campo Mourão is about 3 hours from Maringá which is where most of the other missionaries in our zone & district are (not the same part of Maringá where I was, but a different part of the city).  So when we have district meetings its a 2-3 hour bus ride each way.  So it makes some days of the week really short. 

For example, today Sister. H. and I are leaving for Londrina for the mission leadership meeting and we won't get back until the afternoon of Wednesday and then Thursday we'ĺl be going to Maringá for our district meeting.   So it's going to be a crazy week, but weŕe excited to work here and to work with our investigators and this branch. 

One of our experiences really neat, was teaching a woman, called Marcia.  We had a really powerful lesson with her about the Plan of Salvation.  She lives alone and her mom and dad both passed away some years ago.  But we talked about how through the Gospel, our families can be together forever.  I love how the Spirit testifies of truth that we can receive answers from God and know for ourselves what things are true.  Marcia has fear of water.. ha but weŕe working with her and I'm so excited to see her progress.  Yesterday in the testimony meeting one brother in the branch talked about the story of the Brother of Jared and how God illuminated the rocks after Jared found them and brought them.  God can do the same thing with us.  If we do our part, and do a little work, he will do the rest, he will help us and bless us to do what we need to do. 

I love you all and hope you all have a great week!

And happy Birthday to Brian tomorrow!!!!!! 

PS - weŕe getting a little bit of cold here, like 50 degrees.  But I think it gets down to 40 or so a night. but chilly neh?  But normally its a lot hotter during the day-like 75 maybe... Love you all!!