Week 52: We're Halfway There, Livin' On A Prayer

"Wild" is the only word I can think of to describe this week.

I hit my year mark on Thursday.  It's crazy to think that I've been a missionary for a year.  It feels like it's been 100 years, and 100 minutes at the same time.  It's crazy how time works.  I'm excited for the next year, but I'm also taking some caution as to how hard it's going to be. I've learned that caution does not equal fear.

This area has so much farm land.  I've seen more cows in the last 3 months than I have in my entire life.  I didn't realize how much of a city boy I am until I got here.  I love meeting hicks and seeing cows and all, but I long to be in the deep heart of Chicago right about now.

We had our Zone Training Meeting this week and we were asked to give a training on personal revelation. It was divine because I'm trying to seek more revelation in my life.  I feel like I've never really had it in my life, but after studying about it, I see that it's not always a pillar of light.  For the actual training, we went way over our time. A zone leader kept giving us a look of disapproval for our overshot of time, but we didn't really care.  They Spirit was strong and we had many engaging comments.  We had a few missionaries come up to us and tell us that they needed to hear what we said.  That was so fulfilling. One of the main things we talked about was how personal revelation is different for everyone.  God works with us according to how we learn and what we know, so we should never feel bad if we don't get the same promptings in the same way as others.

“For my soul delighteth in plainness; for after this manner doth the Lord God work among the children of men. For the Lord God giveth light unto the understanding; for he speaketh unto men according to their language, unto their understanding.” (2 Nephi 31:3)

We found 9 new people to teach.  I don't say this to brag about numbers or to say that we did anything special, which we didn't.  I do think it's pretty amazing how God worked with us this week.  There were so many tender mercies that led us to finding these people.  Never in this area and never on my mission have I found this much.  It was a miracle.  Every time we found a new person we knew it was divine.

On Sunday, we tried calling someone. When we asked for their name, they said that it wasn't that person.  We told them that it was our mistake. Before we hung up, she asked us what our role was as missionaries. What the heck kind of question is that? No one has ever asked me that, and that's exactly what we try to help people understand.  She said that she felt like it was a sign from God that she needed to change. It seemed a little fishy just because of how easy it was, but we are going to get in contact with her and see how we can help her.

For some reason, we've been finding and teaching a lot of black people.  I love it.  They're so humble and the love they have for God is incredible.  Im not saying that I'm anywhere near being a homie with them, but I'm picking up some of their lingo. I've realized that they respond so much better when we contact them the way they talk with themselves.  It's great. One of my things to say is "we finna help you get right with Jesus."  Also, you should always show a peace sign so they know you're chill.  I love these people.

Saturday night, we went to a gas station to get gas and a drink.  We parked at the pump, started the gas, and walked inside. When we walked outside, and young guy stopped and asked us if the white car was ours.  When we told him it was, he broke down into tears. He told he was so sorry and that he hit our car. We assured him that it was alright and we swapped information. We called our vehicle coordinator and had to call the police. Long story short, we talked to him. His named is Justin and he was driving a UHAUL truck for a friend of his. He told us about his life struggles and what he desired.  We offered him some comforting words and gave him a Book of Mormon.  He was so receptive to it. We testified to him that this situation was not a coincidence, but something from God. He believed it and said he wanted to come closer to God.  He lives outside our mission, so we won't be able to teach him, but we are going to stay in contact.

Yesterday we walked into ward council and the newly called second counselor of the Stake Presidency, Bishop Boulter, was in there.  He's the bishop of the Apopka Ward. He actually mentioned me during ward council which is pretty funny, I didn't think he'd even remember me. At the end of sacrament meeting, he got up and spoke for a few minutes. He said something that I'd like to share. He said, "Develop your relationship with Jesus Christ, it's the only way to true happiness. Everything else is artificial."

"Wherefore, I beseech of you, brethren, that ye should search diligently in the light of Christ that ye may know good from evil; and if ye will lay hold upon every good thing, and condemn it not, ye certainly will be a child of Christ." (Moroni 7:19)

It was an incredible week filled with many blessings. I can only hope the same for each of you.

Elder Poulsen

Burned a shirt

Rap Snacks and weaves

Roundin' up the cattles

Leesburg Zone

Get you someone that looks at you 

the way Elder Taylor looks at me.

Oof

Week 52: Genesis 1:26

This week, Elder Taylor and I listened to the story of Glenn Beck's conversion to Jesus Christ.  He said something so profound that hit me hard.  Sometimes I find things profound that others don't, but I thought it was pretty brilliant.  He said, quoting Thomas Jefferson,  "When it comes to religion, question with boldness! Question everything! Honest questions!  Fix reason firmly in her seat, for if there be a God, He must surely rather honest questioning over blind folded fear."  He then went on to say, "Ask honest questions. Not questions with an agenda. Your only agenda for any question should be: I want the truth. I don't care what the truth is, I want the truth!"

I've ran into a problem a lot on my mission, both with investigators and myself.  I've seen the desire to ask questions, but the intent is wavering.  We have no problem being obedient when the answer is easy, but if it isn't something we want to hear, we shut ourselves off.  Sometimes we want a certain answer and when we don't get the answer we want, we reject it.  We cannot "seek to counsel ... the Lord."  We need to be open to whatever answer He gives us, and act upon the prompting no matter what.  

"I made this my rule: When the Lord commands it, do it." - Joseph Smith

Agree with Thomas Jefferson and Glenn Beck's political views or not, those statements are simple yet powerful.  It falls back on Joseph Smith and the honest question he had.  He didn't care what the truth was and he didn't fixate on an answer he wanted.  Whatever God told him, he would do it.  I know that as we follow James' counsel to "ask of God," we will have mysteries unfolded to us and we will know truth from falsehood.

Elder Poulsen

Week 51: Bruce Lee and Kenny G

It's been a pretty uneventful week.  We've been struggling to help our investigators keep commitments.  They love talking to us but they never come to church or read the scriptures, which is really frustrating.  Hopefully as we are more upfront with them about our purpose, they'll come around.

It's starting to get warm and I'm now smelling the classic Florida air.  In other news, I'm really excited and grateful for these new options to talk to family every week.  It's a huge blessing as I was already able to talk to my family.  It will definitely help relieve stress and prevent a lot of homesickness.  I love how the First It's interesting how it lines us with my year mark. Half of my mission was spent with the normal emailing and 2 calls a year, and now the last half will be more relaxed.  It'll be a cool experience!

“The ultimate purpose of every teaching, every activity in the Church is that parents and their children are happy at home, sealed in an eternal marriage, and linked to their generations” - President Boyd K. Packer

I think that this ward has gotten to me.  I was doing the dishes the other day and I got the sharpest pain in my elbow for no reason. It didn't go away for a long time.  I literally feel like I've aged 20 years in 3 months.  Also, Elder Taylor has been talking a lot of Bruce Lee.  He saw a magazine at the grocery store and couldn't stop thinking about him all week.  I think I've heard the name "Bruce Lee" more times this week than I ever have in my life.  We've also been getting really into Kenny G's Christmas album.  Elder Taylor plays the saxophone so he loves it, and I'm a sucker for smooth jazz.

As for the more Spiritual side of things, we had Stake Conference this weekend.  The Stake President got called as the Mission President for the Mexico Chihuahua Mission, so they reorganized the Stake Presidency.  Little fun fact, Bishop Boulter from the Apopka Ward is now the Second Councilor! Elder Gerard of the Seventy came down for the reorganization.  He said some really profound things.  He talked about a time he told a primary group to stay on their knees after they said their nightly prayers, to wait and listen.  I am guilty of jumping right into bed after finishing my prayer, but I now want to wait and listen.  He stressed the importance of personal revelation as well as who we become.  He said that the most important things you could do to prepare for a mission, is to study the Christlike Attributes in chapter 6 of Preach My Gospel and go to the temple. It's all about becoming like Christ.

"This is part of what it means to endure to the end through increasing your faith in Christ, continuing regularly to repent of your sins by relying upon Christ, renewing your covenants with the Father and the Son through partaking of the sacrament regularly, and following the promptings of the Holy Ghost in all things." (Preach My Gospel, pg. 121)

I know that my mission is more about who I'm becoming, and how that will affect my future wife and children, than about the people I meet here.

Elder Poulsen

New District

Week 51: 2 Nephi 32:8-9

With Elder Gerard's comments during Stake Conference, I was impressed to study the topic of revelation.  It took me to a wonderful scripture in the Book of Mormon.

"Ask, and it shall be given unto you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.  For every one that asketh, receiveth; and he that seeketh, findeth; and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened.  Or what man is there of you, who, if his son ask bread, will give him a stone?  Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?  If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father who is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?" (3 Nephi 14:7-11)

This makes so much sense to me.  Logically, if even wicked and fallen men know how to give good gifts, obviously God's gifts will be infinitely better.  It all comes down to asking, seeking, and knocking.  As we truly have the desire to follow God's counsel, He will bless us with revelation that we've never before received.

Elder Poulsen

Week 50: Divine Design

We had a few things happen this week that were really awesome. 

On Friday, while we were eating lunch, I felt impressed to send this into the District group chat on Facebook messenger: "Hey does anyone have any advice on how to explain eternal marriage and back it up with scripture, especially when they bring up Matthew 22:24-30?"  There were a lot of good responses with scripture references and quotes from General Authorities.  One missionary said, "When I explain eternal marriage to stubborn people who want to argue it, I say, 'doesn't it sound rad to live with a perfect version of your spouse forever?!'"  I felt inspired to ask that question earlier as it was brought to my attention a few days prior. We met a guy named Twain about two hours later and the one question he asked was, "If a woman's husband dies, and she gets remarried, what happens in heaven? Does God just wipe the memory away? Is there even marriage in heaven?"  Because those answers were fresh in my mind, we were able to talk about eternal families and the blessings of temple marriage. After hearing that, he told us that his daughter died four years ago and he would do whatever it takes to live with her again. God works in mysterious ways.

On Wednesday, we went to Publix to get some PubSubs.  The lady making our sandwich was having a bad day but we asked her questions and she started to open up.  We found out that she's actually a member of the church but hasn't been in years.  We told her that she's always welcome and we left her with a smile on her face.  Later in the day, we stopped by an apartment complex to see someone we are teaching.  They weren't home, so we started to walk back to the car.  We saw a guy outside his door reading a book.  We stopped and talked to him.  It turns out that his girlfriend is a member of the church.  He opened the door and she came out.  She is super knowledgeable about the gospel but felt unsupported by her family.  We told her about the two hour block and the new Come, Follow Me program.  She was super excited about that and showed interest in coming back.  Those two experiences were not by chance.  We were led to those places by the Spirit, and had those interactions because of the hand of God.

"And in nothing doth man offend God, or against none is his wrath kindled, save those who confess not his hand in all things ... " (D&C 59:21)

We got our transfer calls this week and it looks like Elder Taylor and I are staying in good ol' Sumterville for the next six weeks.  When we told the ward council that they were stuck with us for another month and half, Bishop Snodgrass did a fist pump and said, "cha-ching" right in front of everyone haha.  It was pretty surprising, I didn't know he liked us that much.  It's good though, at least he doesn't think we're complete scrubs.

" ... But behold, I, Nephi, will show unto you that the tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom he hath chosen, because of their faith, to make them mighty even unto the power of deliverance." (1 Nephi 1:20)

"The Lord’s hand is guiding you. By 'divine design,' He is in the small details of your life as well as the major milestones." - Elder Ronald A. Rasband

I'm starting to realize more and more, why my mission has been the way it's been, why I've been in the areas I've been in, why I've met the people I've met, and why I'm on a mission in Orlando, Florida.  God does not do things by coincidence, but by divine design.  His hand is in all things and it's beyond any human comprehension.  I know He has a plan for me and He continues to work miracles in my life.  That is true for every child of God that has ever been or ever will be on this earth.

Elder Poulsen

 Last District pic

Met some friends

Week 50: Joel 2:12-13

One of my favorite scriptures in the Book of Mormon is Alma 37.  I chose to put Alma 37:36 on my mission plaque which says: "Yea, and cry unto God for all thy support; yea, let all thy doings be unto the Lord, and whithersoever thou goest let it be in the Lord; yea, let all thy thoughts be directed unto the Lord; yea, let the affections of thy heart be placed upon the Lord forever."

I was reading in Alma 37 again and was hit hard reading the last two verses. "O my son, do not let us be slothful because of the easiness of the way; for so was it with our fathers; for so was it prepared for them, that if they would look they might live; even so it is with us. The way is prepared, and if we will look we may live forever.  And now, my son, see that ye take care of these sacred things, yea, see that ye look to God and live. Go unto this people and declare the word, and be sober. My son, farewell." (Alma 37:46-47)

I was thinking about my life and how sometimes I've chosen to not follow Christ or to be slothful because it was "too easy".  The Gospel of Jesus Christ is simple.  We know exactly what we must do to be blessed with eternal life.  It all comes down to one thing; look to God and live.

Elder Poulsen

Week 49: In the Big Inning

It was a pretty difficult week.  We seemed to hit a wall with contacts and didn't have any teaching appointments.  I've also been struggling to fall asleep.  I've been running on fumes everyday.  The work moves forward regardless.

On Friday, we were finishing up our finding time before we went to dinner.  We were at an apartment complex in Wildwood and were going to stop by thus lady who has seen missionaries before.  While we were walking up to the door, a teenage boy walked by and I told him that I liked his shorts.  We started talking and it turns out, this kid is dang good baseball player.  Good enough that he's been scouted by MLB teams.  I told him that God loves baseball because it's talked about in the first verse of the Bible (In the beginning...).  His name is Alberson and he's from Venezuela.  We talked to him about what we do and why we're here.  He thought it was really cool and said he'd love to hear what we had to say.  It was really awesome talking to him.  He's a good kid and has good in his heart.  It got me thinking.  This area is full of older folks, and many of them are great people, but too many are mean, too set in their ways, and won't even take the time to be nice.  All of the younger people I've met out here have been nice and genuine.  It reminded me about how God has commanded us to be as children.

"For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father." (Mosiah 3:19)

Last Monday, Elder Taylor and I were writing emails at the chapel in Belleview.  I looked at my watch and realized that we were going to be late to dinner.  We called the family and told them we'd be late.  We left right away and realized that they were the furthest they could possibly be.  We ended up being an hour and a half late.  We felt so much remorse for being late.  We walked in and there was definitely an uncomfortable feeling.  We knew that we had let these people down.  We started to talk to them and were genuinely investing in them, and the whole feeling of the dinner changed. We messed up and let them down, but we did our best to help them know that we were apologetic.  We left them with a prayer, our testimonies, and the Spirit was strong.  I know that love and the Spirit conquers all.

"Behold, the Lord hath forbidden this thing; wherefore, the Lord God hath given a commandment that all men should have charity, which charity is love. And except they should have charity they were nothing." (2 Nephi 26:30)

Have a great week!

Elder Poulsen

Golf Range

Olive Garden