Play: Lance and the Strangeness of a Q&A Session

By: Lance Mullen
Slight Revisions by: Tiffany Lloyd

Lance is talking with Tiffany and JD in some kind of room.

Tiffany: So I want you to write to me about something exciting or fun that happened to you.

Lance: Well, it's hard to think of something to write about, that's such a broad topic that I need something specific so I can spend my time about that otherwise it's like me writing about everything.

JD: Well, what's the weather like over there?

Lance: There's no mountains so the sun is already up at 6:30 in the morning and it has been hot but it hasn't reached triple digits and that's odd for this area but it's cooling down now and it's getting dark at 7ish so it's hard to find people to visit when it's so dark out.

Dad: Well, what's your car like does it have a nice transmission?

Lance: When did you get here? Anyways, I only get to drive the car when Elder Fowlke is gone on exchanges and you know that I'm not good with car terminology. I think it's a 2011 Corrolla and it was brand new just before we got here so there aren't problems with it and I think it works pretty well but it's still hard to get used to driving for one day and then go another 6 weeks sitting in the passenger seat.

Mom: Are you eating healthy and staying safe?

Lance: I guess this is some type of family gathering or something. Well, I'm eating a lot healthier than when I was at home. I don't even get to eat ramen or macaroni very often because the member's feed us so much and give us a ton of food. That and my companion loves food from other countries and so we go to Chinese, Mongolian, Mexican restaurants and so it's a new experience for me to see and eat all of these new foods.

Jordan: Are you adjusting well from a nerd to a servant of the Lord?

Lance: Jordan? What are you doing here? Is this some type of open invitation question and answer segment or something? And don't forget that you're a nerd too, just saying. And it wasn't as hard of a transition as I thought it would be. The part I was most scared about was getting up at 6:30 every morning because of my sleeping habits back a home but everything has been going smooth for me and the time has been flying by and things like teaching and testifying to people are easier for me.

Kohor: You are a specter from the gods.

Lance: Kohor?! Who let you in? (*proceeds to beat Kohor through the door and locks the door behind him*) This place really needs to improve the security.

TJ: Well, maybe it's all this talk of food that's drawing everyone here. What are you liking most about being in Milton-Freewater?

Lance: Well, this place has really nice, members and nonmembers, and I think that's both good and bad because that means that people are willing to listen to our message and to what we say and not kick us off their lawns but it's bad because some people are apathetic (I think that's the word) and they are happy with their lives and what their doing and some people are encouraging us even though they don't want anything to do with us, now that's something that I wasn't expecting.

JD: What is something that you look forward to the most?

Lance: Hmm... Two things, one spiritual and one more temporal. The spiritual thing I look forward to is the change that I see in the investigators and how they change to a better person and are happier in every aspect in their lives. The temporal thing that I look forward to is letters. I know that sounds kind of lame but I like hearing from everyone back at home about how life is and for me it's reassuring to know that everything is okay and a letter really helps.

Danny: You need better security in here. The door wasn't even locked when I came in.

Lance: What? Okay, whoever is in charge over here needs to make some improvements, if not there's going to be people showing up that not everyone knows and who knows what will happen then.

Bishop Steward: Hey everyone! I'm Elder Mullen's bishop back in Provo. How is your ward?

Lance: Well, it's a nice ward, the members that show up are really funny and are great people. A less desirable feature to our ward is we have a lot of less active and so we never are without work from the Bishop in helping out members and teaching less active members.

Edler Lythgoe: Hey! (something in Russian that no one in the room understands) I'm Elder Mullen's roommate from his freshman year at BYU. So what are the people and the area like in Milton-Freewater?

Lance: (looks at Elder Lythgoe) How did you get over here from Russia? (shrugs it off) Anyway, like I said earlier when you weren't here the people are all really nice and the place is mostly farm land and there are a lot of wineries too (unfortunately). The missionary work is going well and we are able to get a lot of referrals for the Spanish Elders that live in Walla Walla and they are all pretty nice.

Bro. Christensen: Nice to meet everyone! I'm one Elder Mullen's teachers from the MTC. Speaking of other Elders what is you zone and district like?

Lance: In our district there's Elder Fowlke and I, two sister missionaries and two senior missionaries. Our zone has three districts and they are all Elders, two Spanish and 6 English.

Lance: Well, not that I don't want more people to pop up out of nowhere but I got to get going but we'll do this again some other time.

Kohor: Do not disappoint me.

Lance: I give up. (leaves the room)

Just a reminder:
Elder Lance Mullen
8656 West Gage Blvd. Suite 205
Kennewick, WA 99336

or email him through Tiffany at tiffanyalloyd@gmail.com

I've been working on the Barn

All right. There was an experience I wanted to share last week but because of time restraints I wasn't able to write it so I'll do it now.

We were putting metal sheets on the roof of a barn that was high up (around 10 feet) and we were supposed to screw screws on there to keep them in place. Near the very top the roof increased in height and slope (it got more slanted; it went from a slope of -1 to -4 (on a graph)) and the sheets we were placing were heavily rusted and so there were some parts that the rust had created a hole in the sheet and when you put pressure on it you could see the ground and how high up we were.

Anyways, my job was to screw screws at the very top of the roof and in my path to get close enough there were several rust spots that didn't look in any way safe enough for my to put my weight. So, I was looking at this task and thinking how impossible it seemed when I thought of the advice that we were given when we first climbed on the roof by the member.

It was: "Always look where the screws are; Those screws let you know where the pearls are underneath and those are the spots that will support your weight."

So, I looked forward and I saw the pearls (wooden support beams going across the length of the roof) and when I then moved my leg to a spot where the pearl ran under, it held my weight. Then I was able to get to the top and finish my task.

Oh, we had Stake Conference this last week and Elder Holland and President Packer spoke (it was broadcasted from SLC, just so you're aware) (did you know they did that?) It was nice to hear them talk in person and not just a CD from 2008 General Conference (that's the CD my companion has that we've been listening to).

Today I bought a Mormon Tabernacle Choir anniversary collection (4 different albums) for $9 and a fancy Disney watch on clearance from $60 to $15) (it has Goofy on the front) (I feel like I'm the customer that stores love and are drawn into the merchandise and just have that urge to buy it.)

Anyways, my day to day life goes like this. Wake up at 6:25. Excercise for 30 minutes during either flexibility or strength excercises switching off. I then take a shower and eat breakfast. I have an hour of study time that I use sitting down on the floor (becasue I don't like the desk in the apartment) and read from the Book of Mormon for 30 min and the second half I study whatever I feel like I need most of. We then have 2 hours of companionship study consisting of: hymn, mottos, missionary handbook study, planning lessons, and doing the new missionary training program that tells us what to study. We then have lunch (since it's 11) and then we go out and do stuff (sometimes we have appointments with less-active or investigators, but most of the time we either try to get a hold of people on our potential investigator list or go out finding). We then have dinner at 5-6 normally at a member's home and we share a thought with them and then at 7 we have our exchange. This exchange is a member coming to our apartment and we go to appointments with them. We go back to our apartment at 9-9:30 and we plan for tommorrow for 30 min and then we have 1 hour (or less depending on how late we get back) to write in journals and so forth. Then we go to bed at 10:30 and that's our day. Any questions?

Love,

Elder Mullen