Be of good cheer! The Future is as bright as your faith. Stop Seeking out the Storms and enjoy Seeking out the Sunlight Hello Family! This week I am at a loss of words. So much happens, and yet I cannot think of what I want to share with you. We lost 2 investigators this week. It is really sad and it gets hard, but I know that our effort wasn't wasted, and that maybe we were just the sewers in their conversion. However, with every door that closes one door opens! We have been working with Vance and Sally for a while now and we met with them this week. He has been really sick and we brought a member to our lesson (a less active that is now completely active and serving as a ward missionary :) :) :)) anyway, as we were sitting there talking I got this feeling that we needed to offer a priesthood blessing. We had the priesthood there and there is nothing more powerful than a priesthood blessing. He accepted and Seth (not his real name) was able to give him a priesthood blessing. Coming from over 5 years of not having anything to do with the church to giving a priesthood blessing was a miracle. I definitely knew that he was grateful to have the priesthood, to be worthy of it, so that he could serve the Lord, and serve those around him. It was really neat and it invited the spirit immediately, after the blessing we just sat in silence for a min. because there was a change in the atmosphere (a good one). Anyway the lesson ended up going pretty well and by the end we asked them if they would like to be baptized. This week I have really noticed the importance of being bold but loving. Nothing gets done when we ask, "maybe... if you'd like... would you want to get baptized" where is the power in that? But when we ask boldly "WILL YOU FOLLOW THE EXAMPLE OF JESUS CHRIST and be baptized" it is powerful! It shows the importance of it, this gospel and baptism isn't just something cool, but it is IMPORTANT and when we treat it like it is then the power of the spirit comes along with it. It is a matter of salvation, and receiving all the blessings that God would have available to us, it is a change of life, that effects the eternities. I love this work! Vance and Sally did not commit fully to the date we had set for them, but they were willing to work towards it, it gave them a goal, and is helping them to work towards this great step in their life. I love having goals! It helps me and my investigators work towards our potential. It is important to establish, where we want to be and how we are going to get there. As we were walking out Sister Piggott shook Vance's hand and said "So.. we are working towards the 5th right?" His response: "Ya (with a smile)"! Things are looking good in the rainy state of Portland! Yesterday we were asked to speak in church. We were asked to speak on the Plan of Salvation and Christ’s role in it. It is funny because at home a talk is a huge deal, but on a mission I felt like it was nothing.. we do this every day. But it was a great opportunity to get our investigators to church. I love God's plan for us. How great is God that he not only gives us families, but he gives us the opportunity to have the best family relationships, shows us how, and allows us the opportunity to live with them forever. We have that opportunity, but the great thing is, everyone does! If we choose to live by the teachings of Jesus Christ, he doesn't pick favorites, but loves everyone perfectly. I know that I can't pick the choices for everyone, but I know what my goal is, and that is to have you all with me in eternity! So I am going to do all I can to have that! I might have told you that the Baptist who is getting baptized had sort of fallen off the face of the earth. We could not get a hold of him, and he wasn't responding to our texts. I just have to say that prayer works. God listens, and if we have righteous desires, he will grant us the blessings. He was golden, I cannot tell you how strong his testimony was, we felt it, and he felt it. He knows that baptism is what he needs to do, but not only that, he wants it. He wants to have the Holy Ghost with him all the time, and he knew that this church was the only one with the authority from God to perform those eternal ordinances. After much prayer, we got in contact with him yesterday! Hearing his voice brought me to tears! He is not lost! I have a strong testimony that the devil would not try so hard to bring someone away from something, unless it was true, and unless it was eternally good. Satan knew that this man was ready for the gospel, and that this would bring blessings that nothing else could bring, and he didn't want that for him. We talked a lot about his concerns, and he just needed to be reminded that he knows! He has felt the truth and he cannot deny it. I will let you know when that baptism is, and make sure that I take lots of pictures! I cannot wait for the blessings it is going to bring him and his family someday. If I ever get a letter that his son is going on a mission, or daughter getting married in the temple, I don't think there would be anything better! Anyway we are going to downtown Portland today. I have heard that it is possibly one of the weirdest places on earth. But I will be getting a Portland sweatshirt! I have waited so long to get one ha ha. (PS when we all family vacate here we are going to vodu doughnuts.. bacon maple flavor, bubble gum, captain crunch, etc.) I love you all eternally :) Sister Poulson Funny of the week: Last night during planning.. we were not mentally stable or something.. So I was frolicking around and Sister Piggott was letting me jump over her while having hand spasms or something, and I jumped on her hand.. almost broke it. But no worries, all is well! Just a bruised knuckle.