Hello!

       Sometimes I wish members would hang out with us all day. One of the laurels from the ward spend half a day with us and it was so nice being able to have her testimony and her spirit with us. We went over to Normans with her and he was supposed to have read Alma 32, but again didn't have time. We both knew he needed the word of wisdom but we were so worried about his reaction. We read a few scriptures from Alma 32 and then we dove right in. It seemed a bit choppy at first but somehow the spoirit was there. His questions about it were sincere and honest. At first he wondered why God would put alcohol, tobacoo, tea and coffee on the earth if they were bad for us. We talked about opposition in all things and our purpose for being on the earth. I don't know how it works but God performs miracles right before our eyes. He agreed to live the word of wisdom! He was so sweet and he was even super eager to write down his goals on how he would keep it and then asked the sweetest question of all. He told us that he is really close with his family (they all kinda live in the same house) and that they all drink and do things against the word of wisdom. Then he thanked us so sincerely and said that this was the change he has been looking for and continued to tell us that he was going to share it with all of his family and help them to follow as well. People will ask me what my favorite part about being a missionary is and I have to say that it is watching people take steps that are so difficult for them, and then watching the miracles come into their lives. I love seeing them change for the better and just knowing that because they choose to make the right choice, it will bless them forever. (as long as they stick with it of course)

     So yesterday was funny. We were going to do some visits and there was this group of people sitting on the grass talking. Just so you all know.. talking to people my own age is for some reason the scariest thing in the world.. I much prefer 80 year olds. Anyways.. we talked to them and they invited us to sit down. This one boy Spencer was super anti.. he said something about Joseph Smith eating mushrooms and then finding plates, which if you ask me seems more bizarre than what actually happened. Anyways, it would have been so easy to have contention.. to just prove to him why he was wrong or to argue. However, I am so grateful for Sister Bothwell and for the spirit that was there. I find I have to tell myself a lot "I love them, I love them, I love them" and then.. I really do. I rememeber that some day I will be with them after this life and they will be my brothers and sister, and I would be so sad if I got to heaven and I saw how sad they were to have not known of the greatness of God and his gospel. By the end, he asked for a Book of Mormon and said he was excited to read it. I just love seeing how the spirit works. I know that if we would have argueed with him that we wouldn't have gotten anywhere. But because we truly cared for the welfare of their souls and happyness, the spirit touched them.

  I love being a missionary! It's hard but I know there is no growth in a comfort zone, and no comfort in a growth zone.

PS I love you all too :)!

Sister Poulson

 

Funny of the week: So.. we were in this appartment building that had a lot of stairs. As we were going down of course it is dark and of course there is a pot hole that my ankle happens to find. So I biffed it and now have this cute little swell the size of a golf ball attached to my ankle. It doesn't hurt.. it's just kinda hainess!