Good Evening and Happy Labor Day!

   I have to say it was funny watching Sister Bothwell go and check the mailbox at least 3 times this afternoon only to find out that the mail doesn't come on labor day. However, we have no complaints.We decided today was going to be a nap day but of course when we decide to do that something always comes in the way, today it was a phone call. I tried to just sleep while Sister Bothwell talked and then she put it on speaker.. I heard the voice of one of our investigators Eli "I have been praying a lot about if I should be baptized and I just had this overwhelming feeling at church that I should... I decided I would go home and pray again and see how I felt about it in the morning. When I woke up this morning I had this sense of peace come over me, similar to the feeling of peace I had when I joined AA and quit drinking, and I think I am ready to be baptized." Well if that wasn't a wake up call I don't know what is :)! I was so excited I couldn't nap again. It is so great to see that when people really put in the effort, God will do his part. Oh and I forgot to tell you the story of last week. So Monday after emailing we were headed up to Moltnoma Falls to hike and see the falls when we get a phone call from Eli, he has been searching so hard to know if this church is true. He does everything we ask him to.. he reads, he prays, he comes to church, and he just hasn't seemed to find an answer. If anyone is searching it would be him. We promised him he would find his answer if he would read the Book of Mormon and continue to pray, but that it would come in the Lords time. Well.. Fri he really wanted to just know if the Book of Mormon was true. So.. he spent from 9am-5pm reading the Book of Mormon. He said he would get tired at times and that he would go and read on the excersice bike or switch from tapes to cd's. At one point he got his ipod and went out walking while listening to the Book. He had never done this before but he stopped by the side of the road and decided to say a prayer. When he opened his eyes he saw on the ground a very worn picture of the Portland Oregon Temple. I asked if he recognized this as an answer and his response "definitely, the hairs on my arm stood up".

   So pretty much every Monday Eli calls us with the amazing spiritual experiences he has been having! I love it! I love being a part of it! I am so happy for his baptism. It will be either the end of this month or Oct. I will make sure to send pictures. 

    Also you remember Roy? Well.. We have been having a lot of meetings on the importance of understanding. If people really understood what they were saying no to then they wouldn't do it. Well.. after this meeting Roy came into my head, and I knew that there was something he wasn't understanding. Because if he really understood the atonement, he would have no fear to pray. In fact he would fear not to pray. Because only by not repenting can Gods wrath come upon us. However, no matter how awful the things we have done may seem to be, we can always be forgiven. That is a promise from God and He ALWAYS keeps his promises. So long story short we decided to go back and teach him the plan of Salvation. Help him understand that God has a plan for him, that He has a plan for all of us. And I know that God doesn't send any of us to this earth with the intention of not getting us back. He loves us, and the potential is truly ours. We have never had a better lesson! I just love him. Not in a creepy way of course. Every time we go over I just see how lonely he is, and how much better his life would be with the atonement, and with the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost. I think because we truly do care for him, the lesson was centered on what he needed. I wish that it could have been filmed because the spirit was so strong that anyone could have been touched by it and truly converted by the Spirit. There wasn't a dry eye in the room. I wouldn't be surprised if he gets baptized in the near future. Oh and did I mention he prayed. It was the sweetest most humble prayer. He pleaded that Gods mercy would be greater than his wrath. I don't know how hard that step was for him, but I know it was hard, and I know God loves him and will definitely recognize this huge step and help him to see his mercy and love. 

   Anyway.. we had 4 investigators at church! It was such a powerful testimony meeting, I had to get up! I feel like the luckiest person in the world, because I see miracles everyday. 

Thanks be to the greatest family in the world! I LOVE YOU!

Sister Poulson