"Don’t worry about how inexperienced you are or think you are, but think about what, with the Lord’s help, you can become."

Hello Hello!

   This week was the bomb! Started off with splits with two girls that just got back from their missions. Of course I went with the one that is majorly intimidating, but super awesome! She loves the work and it was so fun seeing how much she loved it. I learned to never leave an area without talking with someone. We hit up some formers with the luck of no one being home.. but then we reached the last person on the list. When we got to her house, it wasn't her. Luckily for missionaries it isn't awkward to knock on the wrong door because you just invite them to hear the message as well. Anyway, it is so great that we were sent to that door. The girl looked about our age and she was telling us about how she only goes to church on Easter on Christmas. As we continued talking, we found out that she goes to the Mormon church on those occasions and that her mother was raised Mormon. Long story short, we were meant to go to that door, and we will be meeting with the whole family sometime this upcoming week.

   Miracles really are wrought by faith.  Saturday we were starting "hour of power" with our district, where we go to a members and share a message on faith, pray with them and then go to their neighbors for the next hour having the faith to find someone that the Lord was preparing for us. I was terrified haha, we went to the members home and her boy was really sick. So... Miracle #1 we went to a members house just up the street and not only were they home but they were so willing to hop on board. We shared the scripture on how miracles come after the trial of our faith. Then we went out to try our faith in the neighborhood. We only made it next door.. A man answered the door who was not interested. However we asked if there was anything we could do for him. He is having a lot of back problems so the offer was a godsend for him. We helped him rake and get his yard in better order. By the end we started talking about why we were on missions, the Book of Mormon got brought up and we talked about how God loves everyone and even sent His gospel to the Americas. We also talked a lot about trials and God's hand in our lives, by the end he accepted a book of Mormon and we are going back to help some more! It is amazing what a little service can do!

    We are working with a few people and Roy is doing awesome! He came to church again! He just needs to pray. Sometimes I forget the importance of prayer. Well, I love you!

Love,

Sister Poulson

Funny of the week: We were picking raspberries outside when Sister Bothwell decided she was done, on the way inside she didn't realize that the screen was shut. Her face was priceless!

 Also.. A member was telling us about someone on their mission whose name was Pag-ee-ma, he asked how she got the name and she said it was the name of someone in a magazine... pajama.. lol!

This one is spell checked.. ha ha 07/16/12

Hello again!

    This was a good week! Slow on the lessons, but still a great week. We had zone conference and I love how God knows exactly what we need. This week I have prayed for a miracle, and yet again, God still listens to my prayers. We have been meeting with Roy for a while now and he has been very slowly progressing. For some reason it is near impossible to get people to read the Book of Mormon.. we live in a lazy society, that’s all! Anyway, we are finally moving along with him. On Saturday we called him and he started talking about how he needs to come to church and then the miracle happened. Normally it would be "I know I need to come" but then when he would come wouldn't exist in the conversation. Saturday, he said he would come! I know you are all thinking.. wow.. big deal.. but really! It is a huge deal! Why you might ask? Because he knows the importance of Church, before he just came, now he sees church as a step in changing his ways and aligning them with Gods. Why else? Because he knows that church is a place where he can go and feel of God’s love, before he wouldn't even pray because he was so fearful that he wasn't worthy, or that God had all this wrath waiting for him. What he is now starting to realize is that God may have wrath, but that’s only when we don't try.. when we continue in the opposing path and willfully rebel. When we try, we won't be perfect, but that wrath won’t be upon us. Anyway, he came to church!!!!!!!!! I don't think there can be enough explanation points for that! He showed up a few min. late and I don't think Sister Bothwell could have been more nervous. For some reason, I wasn't nervous, I knew he would be there, and sure enough he was. A member stood up in church and bore his testimony on the power of prayer and fasting. It was meant for Roy! He has had such a hard time praying, which for me isn't easy to understand because I have always done it, I just hope he knows that nothing bad can come from it. Heavenly Father wants to hear us! I mean if I stopped talking to you, would that make your wrath less towards me? (first of all I hope there isn't wrath) but I just think that because you love me, you want to hear from me, no matter how much I have screwed up.

   So mom, i was thinking about emotions and how "blessed" I am to receive your "tender heart". But I finally know why the spirit brings out my emotions, it is because God is love, and when I talk about God or those who love me, it is so attached to my heart that all I can do is cry.

  Another random tangent.. I find it interesting how I don't realize the importance of a situation/person/lesson until the situation arises. There is a quote in one of the mormon.org videos that says "once the time for decision has come, the time for preparation is over" and it is so true. It is then when I wish I was more prepared. I can only imagine what it will be like at the judgment seat.

   Well, there are more stories to tell, no time for them! I love you all so much!

Sister Poulson

Weekly funny: Yesterday Sister Bothwell was reckless driving and our cupcakes we had flew across the car and all got smashed except for one. So I took the one cupcake and I placed it on the middle arm rest. Sure enough, Sister Bothwells arm goes straight into it.. haha so when we were driving out of church realizing we didn't have a napkin we pulled over and asked a lady if she had a baby wipe.. Well.. she didn't. But she did have a diaper.. ha ha and insisted that we use that to wipe off her arm. First of all why does she have diapers and no wipes with only baby girls 2nd of all.. the other Sisters we share a car with loved seeing a "dirty" diaper laying on the car floor.

God bless America!

My oh so special most wonderful family!

  How art thou? This week was a good one for me, thank you for asking ;)! We got to stay out till 10:30 on the 4th watch a bunch of illegal fireworks, and eat way too much as usual. It was fun. I love celebrating freedom, and I love that God has given us freedom. Sometimes I wonder how bad it hurts God to see so many of his children abandon His commandments and watch them choose paths that lead them to get hurt. While it is sad to think about it, it really does show God's love, that he loves us enough to not stop all the bad from happening, but wants us to choose our own destiny in a way. Of course God could step in every time we have a skinned knee and save every bad thing from happening; but if we really think about it, it is in those hard times; those times where we are humbled where we really come to find God. It is in those times where we really need him, and we take the time to remember that we can't go through this life alone. And it is through those hard times where we can learn and grow the most. A lady came into the center who had just buried her dad. The situation is so sad, but as hard as it was it helped her become more grateful for the plan of salvation. For that great plan that God has made for us, that if we just choose to follow Him, which always leads to happiness, then we can have more blessings that are eternal and that bind those family units together. We don't really know how great that blessing is, until we have lost someone we love. I am grateful that I get to choose the wrong every once in a while, and that because of that I know how it feels to separate myself from God, so that I can be reminded of how great Christ's way really is and gain that testimony that it really is true. For everything that is good comes from God. 

    So we got to watch another Disney movie today!! Why you ask.. well because our zone excelled the most in baptisms this month. How many of those did I help with... none. And it is hard, it is hard to see so many people have so much success and feel like I work so hard but it just doesn't happen. But then I always am reminded that I am where the Lord needs me to be, and I am doing what I can, so there is definitely something that I am doing to help with Gods work. I was reminded about that when we were sitting in church yesterday and we were talking about missionary work. The whole lesson was on how we can help teach and bring people to the church and all of that great stuff. But one lady raised her hand and she said it is not that we are trying to get people to come into our church, it is really that we want to help these people. We love the gospel because it has helped us, we love it because it brings us more happiness and comfort than anything else could. We love it because it is our one stable rock we can build our foundation on. That is why it is important to share, not because we want people to get baptized (even though that is a great step) it is because we want people to know of the greatness of having God in their lives is. Because I love my friends and I love the gospel, that is why I want to share it! Oh.. but I also should just say that Jane and Lark (haha I totally forgot their "code" names.. but they are the older couple "my boyfriend" and his wife from my last area) are getting baptized!!! I was so excited I almost died! I never would have thought that they would be getting baptized, well I mean of course I did. I usually go into meeting with someone saying "so when they are baptized" but with them I really did wonder if would happen, and guess what, the Lord again works miracles and they are getting baptized on August 11th! Right before Willis's birthday so I guess that is how I will be celebrating :)!!!!!! YIPIIEE SKIPPY! Ha ha

  I have one cool story I want to tell you. So me and Sister Bothwell always get asked "so are the people usually nice to you" we always respond "yes they are. They are not always receptive but I think because we are girls we don't get doors slammed or people chasing us down and what not" anyways karma or something caught up to us because we were tracking and we get to a door and a guy answers who seemed nice. Anyways after explaining who we are he literally says "yes I know who you are and you are not welcome here" SLAM! Ouch.. but it wasn't as awful as I thought it would be, I thought I would feel offended and all but really I just felt sad, I was so sad that they were not able to hear the message and so sad because I knew the blessings they were missing out on. Anyways, instead of thinking "though crowd" we went on tracing and later came to a door and nice lady answered. She looked at us like she knew us and invited us in... turns out she just moved there and she said she is "sort of" a member. Of course we loved hearing that she needed some missionary help and made sure that we could come back and meet with her and her cute little family. I just love how the Lord directs His work. Because lets be honest.. I have no idea. Ha ha I see the wall in front of my face, and he sees the end from the beginning. Which I am so grateful for!

  Well.. we are still working with a lot of people and we are hoping some great things come from it. Work hard and keep moving forward! I love you,

Love,

Sister Poulson

Weekly funny: We were eating at a members who works with the Spanish Elders as well. Anyways one of the Elders is named Elder Broadhead and she was talking about them and somehow she said Elder Bighead and went on to talk about his companion Elder Whitehead.. (she was dead serious) His name wasn't even close to that.. haha it was kinda funny. What is even funnier is she went on to tell us that he looked like Mr.. Beans. She asked if I knew who Mr. Beans was and instead I respond "ya.. I have seen beans"

Love one another

HI!

   I decided that it is impossible to tell anyone about a mission. Just is.. everyone just has to go on one. Thats all.. have a great week! ;) haha JK! Well I have to say happy July! I love the 4th of July, why you might ask? Well.. I wish I could tell you that as well. We are going to have a little ward breakfast and then walk to the temple (of course we won't be doing that because we have to go go go and walking 5 miles cannot fit in the agenda), but it should be fun and I am excited to help out and be a part of the ward! Sundays are great aren't they? Yesterday was so productive.. I love that feeling. Usually in the mornings we have a harder time finding out the most productive thing to do. Yesterday, we visited referrals. We walked around the corner of one guys house and about died from a heart attack when the guy sneak attacked us while smoking on the porch. Anyways he was super sweet, and we testified all about the Book of Mormon. Thinking about it.. there is no word we can say or nothing we can do to help someone truly understand the importance of that book. And sometimes it is sad that it is underestimated, but truly, like it says in the introduction; it testifies and is a witness that Jesus is the Christ, we really do have a Savior who felt everything we ever felt, and understands us when no one else does, and most importantly loves us so much that no matter how many times we screw up, he doesn't get angry but only wants our eternal welfare. And of course, it gives us the guidelines for the happiest life, so we don't screw up as much lol. Sometimes I think I might be too bold, which seems crazy because before I left I felt I was the exact opposite. Where is the balance?! haha.. oh well.

   We have the greatest new investigator! I am not sure if I told you about her but by golly I love her! We met her tracting and it was one of those experiences where you know you were in the right place at the right time. Reminded me that it's ok if something doesn't go as planned, because there is another path that God has placed for us. We taught her the plan of Salvation and she felt the spirit so strong! I love knowing that no matter how wrong I might teach something, that the ultimate teacher will be the Spirit and that is what will truly change her heart.

    Another neat experience this week was at the Visitors Center. A lady came in with her friend who was not a member. I felt so much love for her, which is always a good sign, from the moment we started talking. She watched restoration and did the Christus but when we got to the Book of Mormon display she watched endure to the end. After talking about it she started crying and I knew there was something hard going on her life. Sometimes enduring is so hard.. I really just wanted to hug her! Turns out she lost her husband a year ago and the term "till death do you part" really bugged her. I found it so great that even though she didn't have the scriptures that confirmed that families are eternal, she had the hope that it was and deep down she believed she would see him again. It is such a witness to me that we really did know Gods plan before we came to this earth, every one of us. And we knew there would be pain and we knew there would be suffering, but we knew there would be joy and we knew that it was going to worth it. That it is! I feel blessed to know that it is worth it, that it is all for something greater, and that good things don't have to end! I love that we have the scriptures that confirm those hopes and life's unanswered question 

   Well.. I have lots more to tell you. But I have no time! I love you millions!

 

love,

Sister Poulson