They've Arrived! 10/27/2015

(Elder Bullough's parents received this email today from the mission president and his wife.)

Dear Parents,

This is just a quick note to let you know that your missionary arrived safely in Tacoma today.  

We took our new missionaries to the Puget Sound. From here they will have a great lunch. Then they will be interviewed, given a brief orientation, and meet their new companion, who will also be their trainer.  After a very spiritual meeting where the departing missionaries will share their testimonies, they will be off to their new areas. 

We are thrilled to welcome them into our mission... You are also invited to check out the mission blog at http://calledtoservewa-tac.blogspot.com

May the Lord bless you and your family. 

President and Sister Blatter 

Elder Bullough & Other New WA-TAC Missionaries Arrive at Airport:

President & Sister Blatter take new missionaries to see Puget Sound:

The mission president's wife, Sister Blatter, took this cool picture.

LUNCHTIME:

Orientation for New Missionaries:

Elder Bullough waiting to meet his new companion & trainer:

And he is greeted by not one, but two new companions: 

Elder Ellis and Elder Lundgreen excitedly greet Elder Bullough

Meeting where departing missionaries share their testimonies:

New missionaries prepare to depart to their first area in the mission field:

Pictures from the MTC

PICTURES OF ELDER BULLOUGH AT THE MTC:

Elder Bullough & his MTC companion, Elder Hovey

 Elder Bullough's zone in the MTC

Elder Bullough loved running into friends from back home at the MTC:

Bryson Huntington, Matt Lyon, Jared Read, & Andrew Gray

Elder Bullough & Elder Jesse David

3 Cousins at Provo MTC together

Elder Josh Bullough has 3 cousins (all from the Bullough side of the family) also serving missions for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints right now.  Elder Bullough and 2 other cousins are at the Provo MTC right now. (The third cousin, Sister Meg Bullough, is currently serving her mission in Panama.)

In a recent letter from one cousin, Elder Jace Bullough wrote, "I was also blessed to see both cousins this past week, which is a blessing because with over 2,000 people here [at the MTC], with very different schedules, you don't really run into people by chance." Thank you to Elder Jace Bullough for these pictures: 

Sister Katelyn Schmidt and Elder Josh Bullough entered the MTC on the same date. She has been called to serve in the Hawaii Honolulu mission. They too, have now run into each other at the MTC:

Sunday at the MTC 10/23/2015

Hey guys,

I don't have time to write much this week. But I had an amazing Sunday last week and noticed how much closer I can be to Christ. Sundays here are like a blessing because you actually get time. In the MTC it is all about time management... one thing I have learned that I am not so great at, but it will get better as time goes on.

We had a speaker on Sunday that was the best talk I have ever heard and it was by Chad Lewis!!! For those who don't know him, he is a former football player for BYU and the Philadelphia Eagles. He talked about how he and four other guys went up Mount Kilimanjaro which is the highest volcano in Africa. But the interesting part is that they did it with three veterans that all had been injured in war. He was saying how at the beginning he and a coach for one of the NFL teams had been talking about not getting blisters and then they looked at the man tightening his prosthetic leg. At that moment, they realized that it wasn't about them but how they could help these veterans get up the volcano. This reminds me of Christ and how he carries us when we are hurting and he can help us climb the mountains in our lives.

Well, I hope not too much is misspelled and that this is understandable because I had to write this pretty fast. P-Day was great and a funny thing... I have never in my life been so excited to do laundry than today!!!

With love,

Elder Bullough

First Letter from MTC 10/16/2015

Hey everyone, 

Friday is my assigned P-day. Which is great because after two days, I am completely exhausted. In the MTC, we constantly do something. In fact, we rarely get time to read it feels like! But don't get me wrong I love the MTC, it is the best! And to me the food is even better, I understand how people gain so much weight in the MTC, we get FREE ice cream!! and did I mention its FREE! And every morning so far I have eaten a doughnut for breakfast... I will hopefully not make it a habit! 

There is a great spirit here and everyone is so kind and super friendly! I love making new friends and hearing where they come from and where they are going. But another thing that I love is seeing the people that I know from home it is the BEST!! I am in a great district of 6 elders. Four of us are going to the Tacoma Washington Mission and the other two are from Canada. Until now, I haven't wanted to visit there but it sounds so pretty and like a blast! 

In the MTC we constantly learn how to teach and we constantly learn, period. We spend 2 to 3 hours in a classroom everyday learning. Surprisingly it goes by fast! Three things I have gotten better at already is waking up early, planning, and praying. In the MTC, we pray a lot and we share our testimony a lot. So likewise I would like to share my testimony with all of you.

I know that this church is true and that the Lord sends 18-19 year old boys on their mission when they are young so they can grow in the gospel and gain power in their priesthood. Miracles happen everyday and the Lord’s hand truly is in all of our lives! This gospel and its principles provide true comfort and joy to our lives. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

With love,

Elder Bullough

P.S. The only thing that I miss back home is my shower... the ones here are small and crammed and the water pressure is not the best.