Week 15: Why do people live here?

Hey y'all, it feels good to finally have P-Day again.  Also, I only recently realized that I've started saying "y'all".  It's now a part of my vocabulary and I'm not really sure how it happened.  Oh well.

It is so hot, bugs are everywhere, and you are wet as soon as you step outside.  I have no idea why people live here.  God has a sense of humor.  He put me in the exact opposite of my ideal climate.  But that's ok, hopefully winter will come fast and I can enjoy it.  I hear winter time is lovely here.

Transfers sent a lot of missionaries to a lot of different areas.  I saw Elder Lester at service when we went to Second Harvest.  He is the funniest guy, I love him so much.  I got my new companion.  Elder Correia is from Sugar House, Utah and he's awesome.  He's a lot different than Elder DeVroom, but I think it will be a good transfer.  Elder Correia is a tracting missionary.  He loves knocking doors and doing the classic missionary shtick.  Door knocking isn't my favorite.  It's hot and I haven't seen a lot of success come from it, but it's a great way to get over fears of talking to people and it makes for some pretty interesting stories.  I also find that I am much more tired at the end of the day if we spend a decent amount of time tracting.  The main reason why I'm not a huge fan of it is because it gives off the impression that we are "selling" something.  People think we have ulterior motives so they are almost always defensive.  It doesn't give off a good first impression and out of the hundreds of doors I have knocked on my mission, I have had 0 return appointments.

Because Elder DeVroom left the Zone, we have a new District Leader named Elder Pennock.  He's super awesome, and even though he's been out for less time than most of our District, he knows what's up.  He has a genuine care for the people around him and he has really tied us together.  It helps when there is a support system around you.  No one has to go through life alone.  It's hard sometimes and we need the people around us to lift us up.

The highlight of our week was our lesson with Gwen and Patricia.  We were at our apartment planning for the day, when we looked at a report of a media referall.  It was a woman named Gwen, and she had requested a Bible, but there was no report of a delivery, so we called and asked her if she had recieved it.  It turns out that she never did and said we could come over right away.  We booked it over and saw Gwen and her friend Patricia outside.  Gwen invited us inside and Patricia was happy to join.  Apparently, Patricia hadn't been to Gwen's house in 2 years and that was her first day back.  The odds of that happening are so small and I know that God played a part in that.  We talked about the Book of Mormon, and read the introduction, which has slowly become one of my favorite things to read with investigators.  They were both overwhelmingly receptive and wanted to come to church.  Never have I had someone come out and ask when our church was.  They both wanted to reschedule appointments and it turned out that Patricia lives really close to the chapel.

1 Nephi 1:20 "..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."

Friday, I had the worst stomach pain I've ever had in my life.  It was like heartburn mixed with the feeling of needing to puke.  I couldn't get rid of the feeling.  I took a lot of tums and tried to throw up but nothing worked.  I was pretty immobile the whole day until I called the mission nurse.  She told me to get some Omeprazole and after a while, it really helped.

All in all, it wasn't that exciting of a week, but we did all we could, and that's all that matters.  I have a reoccurring feeling throughout my days that I am doing exactly what I am supposed to be doing, and I am exactly where I am supposed to be.  It's a great feeling to have because it is comforting when things aren't going your way.

Alma 29:9 "I know that which the Lord hath commanded me, and I glory in it. I do not glory of myself, but I glory in that which the Lord hath commanded me; yea, and this is my glory, that perhaps I may be an instrument in the hands of God to bring some soul to repentance; and this is my joy."

Have a great week, love y'all.

Elder Poulsen

I'm sorry I don't have very many pictures.  Life isn't anymore interesting in Florida than it is in Utah.

Here's a bad picture of 

Elder Correia that I took last night.

Also a picture of me being dumb.

Week 15: Doctrine and Covenants 6:36-37

One thing I have been thinking about this week is how blessed we truly are.  I have seen a lot of things that are sad.  I have heard stories that cut to the core.  Whether it be temporal or spiritual, we are all exremely blessed.  The more we focus on our blessings and focus on the good things, the easier it is to get through the day, and not focus on the bad.  It doesn't make the hard times go away, but it puts our lives into perspective and helps us understand that not all of life is doom and gloom.  I know the more we focus on our blessings and develop a more grateful attitude, we will be happy.

"When upon life's billows you are tempest-tossed, When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost, Count your many blessings; name them one by one, And it will surprise you what the Lord has done."

Elder Poulsen