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

Week 49: Romans 1:16-17

A particular missionary once told me that I should only study Preach My Gospel and the Book of Mormon. Those are both great, but doing so would rob me of the wonderful resources that are available. I took this into my heart and decided to study some of the Old Testament. I read the book of Daniel because I absolutely love his story. In the first few chapters, Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego are all taken to Babylon. They refuse to follow the traditions of Babylon and stick to what they know is true. In turn, they are blessed with increased knowledge.

"As for these four children, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams ... And in all matters of wisdom and understanding, that the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers that were in all his realm." (Daniel 1:17, 20)

"Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his: And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding: He revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him. I thank thee, and praise thee, O thou God of my fathers, who hast given me wisdom and might, and hast made known unto me now what we desired of thee: for thou hast now made known unto us the king’s matter." (Daniel 2:20-23)

They were wiser than all of the well learned men of Babylon. Relating it to myself, I know that even though I don't know everything, I know enough. When I stay faithful, God will consecrate my efforts and will increase my knowledge. I know that to be true for all of us.

Elder Poulsen

Week 48: 寶长老 (Bǎo Zhǎnglǎo)

It was a pretty basic week.  I have a few things to talk about.

First, we went down to Orlando on Saturday for a baptism.  It was someone who Elder Taylor taught in his last area.  It's actually a Chinese Branch which is super cool.  The lady's name is Ming and she is adorable.  Cute little old Asian lady.  Her smile was super contagious.  It was a really great service.  The branch president and his wife are both from America, are fluent in Chinese, and adopted two girls from China.  I talked to the branch president's wife and daughters who were super nice.  They give every missionary they "like" a Chinese missionary name.  So I am now "Bǎo Zhǎnglǎo" which basically sounds like, in a rough way, "Po Chong-Lao".  It was pretty funny.  After the baptism, our member ride had to stop at Costco to get his hearing aids fixed.  Id say about 80% of our ward wears a hearing aid.  Anyway, while Elder Taylor and I were waiting, we walked around and tried all the free samples, and I kid you not, we ran into 3 separate member families.  We'd just hear, "Hey, Elders!".  Elder Taylor and I were just laughing about it because, A, anytime you're in a store or restaurant on a day that's not Monday, you always see members.  I guess it's just God's way of keeping us on track.  B, they all probably thought we were just chillin' at Costco on a Saturday afternoon.  Dang, these Orlando missionaries are scrubs.

We had one really cool finding experience this week.  Two Sundays ago, we stopped by one last person for the night. We went looking for a woman.  We knocked on the door and a guy came to the window and said "We're good." and walked away. We left the house and drove down a few houses, and pulled over to report it.  I opened the area book on my tablet and was about to stop teaching this woman, but my tablet wouldn't work.  We waited and waited for it to work, and then a car pulled up to us.  I don't know how, but he knew it was us. It was the same guy who said they were good.  He told us to come back during the day and that he'd be open to talking to us.  It was a miracle.  We went back this week and had a lesson with him.  His name is Jeff.  He was extremely receptive.  Probably the most receptive person I've met on my mission.  He asked so many key questions like "why are there so many translations of the Bible?" and "why don't church's do missionary work?". Elder Taylor and I feel like the lesson went very well.  It flowed and the Spirit was present.  Not once did Jeff have a problem with what we said.  He was so agreeable and receptive.  It was too good to be true.  Elder Taylor and I were hyped for the rest of the day.  It was complete divine intervention.

That's all I have, hope you have a great week!

Elder Poulsen

Week 48: Helaman 5:6-9

In Elders quorum, we talked about Elder Holland's talk on reconciliation.  It was beautiful and simple.  I love the idea of forgiving people and moving on.  It only hurts us when we hold grudges.  We should always forgive to benefit them and ourselves.

"Somehow forgiveness, with love and tolerance, accomplishes miracles that can happen in no other way." - President Gordon B. Hinckley

Elder Poulsen

Week 47: He Maketh Me to Golf in Green Pastures

I'm going to be pretty brief.  Not much happened but a few things happened that were worth mentioning.

Last transfer, President Clark came up to our ward for church.  He talked to me after and asked me how the area was.  I was pretty blunt with him, telling him that the ward is pretty unmotivated and the work is slow.  He told me a lot of things, but one thing he said was "I don't care if you're on the golf course".  I didn't really think about it at all last transfer but finally we took it to heart.

Our new ward mission leader has been really pushing hard for member work and has led by example.  He invited us to come golfing with him and his friend.  It worked perfect because President gave us permission!  Never would I have guessed that I would be playing golf as a missionary as a proselyting activity.  For someone who hasn't swung a golf club, Elder Taylor did pretty good, and I wasn't too shabby either for being rusty.  It was a good time.  We were able to talk about the gospel in a very natural way and we are planning on going golfing again with them this week.

"So many of us look upon missionary work as simply tracting. Everyone who is familiar with this work knows there is a better way. That way is through the members of the Church." - President Gordon B. Hinckley

We were walking around a neighborhood near our house one evening when a guy came out yelling at us.  He asked us in a very contentious way, what we were doing and why we were out at night.  We tried explaining to him that we were missionaries for Christ.  He told me that if I wanted to meet Christ any sooner, walk onto his property.  He threatened to shoot us if he ever saw us again.  Definitely not the best environment and afterwards, I said a few choice words in the car.  I realized that my charity is not where I wanted to be.  God has given me many experiences in the past few weeks to evaluate my charity and try harder to love those that persecute me.

The last thing of the week, Mark got baptized on Saturday!  He moved up to Jacksonville and was being taught.  We were able to FaceTime in and talk to him.  It is crazy to see the change he has gone through since the first time I met him.  The gospel has really blessed his life.  I am so grateful for being a witness to his miraculous change.

That's about it, I hope y'all have a great week and enjoy the snow.  I sure miss it.

Elder Poulsen

OG Mark

They call me Arnold

 ️

Week 47: Alma 36:24

I have been thinking about hope a lot this week and I came across a talk by Elder Uchtdorf.  He talks a lot about hope and how it sustains us when life isn't going our way.

"I wish to speak today of the hope that transcends the trivial and centers on the Hope of Israel, the great hope of mankind, even our Redeemer, Jesus Christ.  Hope is not knowledge, but rather the abiding trust that the Lord will fulfill His promise to us. It is confidence that if we live according to God’s laws and the words of His prophets now, we will receive desired blessings in the future. It is believing and expecting that our prayers will be answered. It is manifest in confidence, optimism, enthusiasm, and patient perseverance.  In the language of the gospel, this hope is sure, unwavering, and active. The prophets of old speak of a “firm hope” and a “lively hope.” It is a hope glorifying God through good works. With hope comes joy and happiness. With hope, we can have patience, and bear our afflictions.” - Dieter F. Uchtdorf

I know that hope will get us through hard times.  We need to have hope that God will fulfill His promises.  Praying for hope, faith, and charity are essential to this life.

Elder Poulsen

Week 46: I Shall Not Want

We had one cool miracle happen last night.  We were about to go home for the night and we thought about stopping by one more person.  We went to a lady who we met earlier in the week and said she didn't mind us coming back.  We knocked on the door and she told us to come in.  We ended up teaching the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and invited them to read the Book of Mormon.  We were able to teach 3 people and there are other people that live there too.  We don't often find families here, so it was a huge tender mercy when they let us in and listened to us.This week was really hard.  I've learned that sometimes we will do nothing wrong and still get harmed because of the agency of others .  I've been struggling with this idea for a few days.  Obviously the natural man wants to get mad and fight back.  I was reading in Alma 60 when Moroni wrote a letter and accused Pahoran of neglecting the army.  After receiving the letter, Pahoran reacted perfectly.  He didn't fight back or try to prove his innocence, rather he praised Moroni for his passion and love for God.  I've been trying to think more like Pahoran and allow others to accuse and treat me poorly.  It's easier said than done, but if we pray for charity, God will help us obtain it.

"The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.  He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.  He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.  Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.  Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.  Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever." (Psalm 23)

These scriptures really helped me this week.  Relying fully upon Jesus Christ.  I know that when I allow Him to help me, when I rely on Him to ease my burdens, I shall not want.

Elder Poulsen

Week 46: John 6:66-69

I wanted to share one of my favorite scriptures from the Book of Mormon:  "And it came to pass that the voice of the Lord came to them in their afflictions, saying: Lift up your heads and be of good comfort, for I know of the covenant which ye have made unto me; and I will covenant with my people and deliver them out of bondage.  And I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs, even while you are in bondage; and this will I do that ye may stand as witnesses for me hereafter, and that ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions." (Mosiah 24:13-14)

I know that the Lord truly does visit us in our afflictions.  I have seen it in so many people, both family, friends, and strangers.  I've seen it in my own life.  God is completely aware of us and will help us through the hard times.

Elder Poulsen

Week 45: Hog Jowls

Just to warn you, this email is probably going to be pretty boring.  I'm struggling to find things of worth to talk about but I guess you won't have to read as much, so that's good.

The first week of the transfer is over.  Elder Taylor is super cool.  He's from Pismo Beach, California and has been out for a year and a half.  I'm learning a lot from him and we are pretty similar.

This week was super long.  We did 25+ hours of finding with almost no success if you look at numbers.  I'm one that doesn't care about numbers.  If I try my best and post all zeros, it doesn't bother me.  I don't base success off of statistics.  I do hate it when missionaries force return appointments on people just so they can check them off.  That should never be your motive in missionary work.

Here's an interesting story.  We were out stopping by potentials last night in a neighborhood in Wildwood.  We saw a guy's profile named Nate and thought we'd stop by.  The gate was closed, so we didn't want to intrude. There was a number on his profile so we gave him a call instead.  We called him and he was super nice.  He told us that he'd be down to meet with missionaries and talk about the Book of Mormon but he's since moved to Virginia.  He's going to college at Shenandoah University.  We told him we'd send his number over to the missionaries in his area and thought nothing of it.  Later, we got a call from the Elders who we sent them to. They're in the Maryland Baltimore Mission.  I looked on the record for their phone number and the names of the Elders, and there it said, "Elder Steenblik".  It's Elder Tanner Steenblik from my home ward.  It was really cool talking to him!  It was almost surreal.  What are the odds that we'd get in contact with Nate, send him to the right missionaries, and have that be someone from my home ward.  It was a really cool tender mercy.  God is truly in the fabric of our lives.

This week, I feel like Ive been more in the south than I usually am.  I've tried "hog jowls" with black-eyed pees, which I can say is the first meal I've had on my mission that wasn't great.  I've met a lot of people who are Florida natives, and someone told us, "If you can cross the creek on a hickory log without it breakin', you've done good."  He was using that analogy to agree with something we said but I honestly have no idea how it applied.  Crazy Southern people man, I love it.

This week we had our first 2 hour Church meeting.  It was strange leaving so early but I thought it was good.  It gave us the responsibility to prioritize the true doctrines of the gospel.  Our Bishop talked a lot about recentering everything to Jesus Christ.  Everything we do, say, and think should have the purpose of bringing us closer to Him.  Brother Campbell, a member in our ward, said something to us a few weeks ago that stuck with me.  He said, quoting something he heard, "A lot of people say that Latter-day Saints are not Christian, and that they don't worship Jesus Christ.  The fact is, they are obsessed with Jesus Christ.  They can't get enough of Him."  Over the past few months, I've definitely seen that in others around me and myself.  I love talking about, thinking about, and studying Jesus Christ.  He has helped me more than I could ever comprehend, and any little bit of understanding that I can obtain of Him is highly sought after.

In closing, this week was pretty boring, but the small things that I noticed throughout my days, bore witness to me that God lives and is aware of an inadequate, oblivious, blonde kid from Cottonwood Heights, Utah.  He loves me and supports me.  I know that to be true of all His children.  Love y'all!

Elder Poulsen

Elder Adair and I

Last family pic

Zone pic

Fishing this morning

Just chillin'

Florida has the most beautiful sunrises

Elder Taylor and I

Week 45: Galatians 5:13-14

I listened to a talk by President Russell M. Nelson.  He talked about "The Living Christ" and how some people don't take advantage of it, or even know it exists.  I took his challenge to read and ponder it.  The last two paragraphs hit me hard.

"We testify that He will someday return to earth. “And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together” (Isaiah 40:5). He will rule as King of Kings and reign as Lord of Lords, and every knee shall bend and every tongue shall speak in worship before Him. Each of us will stand to be judged of Him according to our works and the desires of our hearts.  We bear testimony, as His duly ordained Apostles—that Jesus is the Living Christ, the immortal Son of God. He is the great King Immanuel, who stands today on the right hand of His Father. He is the light, the life, and the hope of the world. His way is the path that leads to happiness in this life and eternal life in the world to come. God be thanked for the matchless gift of His divine Son."

I don't really need to add much to this.  I know my Savior lives, and if I'm here for anything, it is to serve and follow Him.

Elder Poulsen