The Gospel Gives People Happiness and Perspective

Oct 2019

Born and raised in the Philippines, 22-year-old Agnes Mulet found great comfort growing up in her gospel-centered home. Her father and sister had already served missions by the time Agnes was ready to serve a mission of her own. “The idea of going on a mission had always been a part of me,” says Agnes. “I grew up with a dream to serve because my dad talked about how great his missionary experience had been. My entire family was so excited when I told them I had decided to submit my paperwork. Everything I did throughout my life had lead me to this point.”

Joy, awe, and prayers of gratitude marked the day Agnes and her family learned that she had been called to serve in the Paris France Mission. “I was the first person from the Philippines to be called to serve in France,” recalls Agnes. “I worked extra hard to save for the visa because it was so expensive. My family paid for my dental work, and we did as much as we could to fund my premission expenses. All we were waiting on was my visa.”

The excitement that followed her call was quickly replaced with concern. “There were problems with my visa, so I couldn’t go to France as planned. I was reassigned to serve in the Cebu Philippines Mission in a neighboring city only 30 minutes from home where people called me by my first name. I had to learn to be patient and to have faith.”

Being the first Pilipino called to serve in France was something Sister Mulet and her family treasured. But as she waited for her visa to be approved, others were called to that mission and made it there. “I felt forgotten, but I learned from it. I learned to love my area. I saw my people and my country with a new lens. I developed a greater love for both. Every night my mother would pray and ask why this is happening, and God told her He had better plans for me.”

After serving her people for 11 months, Sister Mulet was asked to meet with her mission president. “He told me I was going to be reassigned. I thought it was somewhere in the Philippines, but he asked me to guess again. I was shocked when he said, ‘You’re being reassigned to the Temple Square Mission in Salt Lake City, Utah!’ I told him not to joke with me. He showed me the email, and I still couldn’t believe it. It was a like a dream. I received a three-month extension, and it’s been really fun serving on Temple Square. This is the first time that the Church has even considered reassigning someone who had already served nearly one year in another mission. God knows me.”

Sister Mulet says seeing the Salt Lake Temple every day is a reminder of God’s love for her. “I feel so humbled seeing the temple every day. I know how much people sacrificed to build it and to visit it. It’s a reminder to me that if you love the Lord, you’re willing to sacrifice. The temple is what keeps me going when it’s hard to keep going.” She also finds strength in one of her favorite scriptures. “In 1 Nephi 11:17, an angle appears to Nephi and explains the meaning of Lehi’s dream. The two things that stand out to me about the interpretation of that dream are that God loves all of His children and that I do not know the meaning of all things. When I can’t answer questions and have doubts, I turn to this scripture for strength.”

She continues, “I really love meeting people from all walks of life. I had that in the Philippines, but at Temple Square you meet people from all over the spectrum and hear their perspectives. To see so many people in my life, to have more love than I thought I could have, because I had so much before, and to have so many people enriching my life is amazing—it is a blessing for which I am eternally grateful.”

What would Sister Mulet like those who donate to the General Missionary Fund to know? “Thank you very much. My life has been enriched so much because of the sacrifices that you have made. God appreciates it, because I do. Your example has inspired me to do what you do.” Sister Mulet plans to become a teacher or start her own business in the Philippines. “I want to teach the next generation so they can teach the next and so on.”