Week 31: Cocoa Beach

I apologize for the late email.  We had an extremely busy day and things didn't go as planned.  

It's been an interesting week.  Elder Pottle and I somehow convinced the Zone Leaders to let us have a trio exchange with Elder Sharp who is up in the Merritt Island ward.  We are both close to him and wanted to do an exchange before he leaves in a week.  He came down to our area and spent Tuesday together.  We were able to go onto the Air Force base in our area.  I haven't been able to go out there since being here.  We have to get clearance from members who live there or work there.  We went out there and visited a few less-actives who we've never met before.  It was really successful as we had great sit down conversations with them.  Elder Sharp was really loving and genuine.  It was a great example to me because it's not even his area and he leaves very soon, but he was engaged and invested in their lives.  That is a sign of a good missionary.

We taught Mark with the Satellite Beach Sisters.  They are going to take over from here on out because he is moving to their area soon.  It's really sad for us to not be able to teach him anymore, but the lesson went really well.  We talked about the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  We read 2 Nephi 31 with him and talked about the importance of faith in Jesus Christ, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end.  The lesson was full of the He accepted a baptismal date of October 27th and because we taught him three lessons, we'll be able to go!  He is really awesome and the Sisters will be great for him.

On Saturday, our ward put on a family history event at the library.  We helped a lot of people set up accounts for FamilySearch.org and helped them search for families.  It was a really great way to introduce them to the gospel and allow friendships to naturally occur.  Family history has been a tender mercy in my life.  I have seen the blessings of taking family names to the temple and allowing them the opportunity to accept the gospel.  The Spirit is really with us when we do that, testifying to us the truthfulness of the work.

As for the rest of the week, it was pretty normal.  Today we woke up at 4:20 to take a bus to Cocoa Beach with the whole zone.  It was a really good time.  We watched the sunrise and saw cruise ships in the distance.  I always love seeing the ocean and being reminded of my own nothingness but at the same time, the supreme love God has for His children.

I have been using the institute student manual to go along with my Book of Mormon reading and studies.  Something that hit me hard was the story of Nephi going into Jerusalem the third time, not knowing what he should do.  Here's what it says:  

"Sometimes it takes courage to be led by the Spirit. There will be times when the world’s logic and reasoning will suggest a course of action that is contrary to the Lord’s teaching. Elder John H. Groberg of the Seventy challenged us: 'Be willing to take reasonable risks. We live in an age of reason, logic, facts, and figures. These can be useful if kept in subjection to faith in the Lord, Jesus Christ. But if they ever take precedence over faith in Him, then they are not useful and can be very harmful. I have found in my life that most of the good decisions I have made may not have been made if they were based solely on logic or reason.  'Nephi was determined to do what God wanted him to do even with logic to the contrary. The scriptures tell us in 1 Nephi 4:6 that he went forth not knowing beforehand what he should do but knowing he should obey God and get the plates.  'I suspect had he listened only to reason, Nephi and his brethren would still be waiting outside the walls of Jerusalem. I sometimes wonder if by our listening to reason and logic too much, and not trusting God enough, we may find ourselves waiting outside the walls of His holy city.'"

I encourage each of you to start trusting in the Lord a little bit more.  Know that He works in mysterious ways and that logic cannot fully explain everything.  Heed the counsel of King Benjamin when he said, "...believe that [God] has all wisdom, and all power, both in heaven and in earth; believe that man doth not comprehend all the things which the Lord can comprehend." Mosiah 4:9.

Have a wonderful, blessed week.  I love you all.

Elder Poulsen

Elder Pottle, Elder Sharp, and me at Second Light Beach

Just the Viera District in a canoe

A family in our ward has an old

slot machine from The Golden Nugget

5:30 a.m. bus ride

Transfer calls are on Saturday.  

We are both hoping to stay.

 I love these people

Week 31: Alma 26:22

We all often have the question in our hearts as to why we go through hard things or why a loving God would allow bad things to happen to good people.  That is a question we hear sometimes while we are proselyting.  This question is answered often in the Book of Mormon, but one scripture I came across the other day explains that without sadness and pain, there would be no joy or peace.

2 Nephi 2:11 "For it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things. If not so, my firstborn in the wilderness, righteousness could not be brought to pass, neither wickedness, neither holiness nor misery, neither good nor bad. Wherefore, all things must needs be a compound in one..."

Elder Poulsen

Week 30: Happy Fall Y'all

What a quick week.

We had interviews with President Clark on Tuesday.  Every time I meet with him it gets less and less awkward.   My first interview with him in the middle of my first transfer was about five minutes.  It consisted of him asking how I was and then him telling me the area was probably going to be shutdown.  In this most recent interview, he cracked up laughing and gave me lots of great advice.  He said something so profound that hit me hard.  He said "It doesn't matter how many trees you chop down, if you don't chop them down looking at what they can become, they become worthless."  He said this regarding the way we look at investigators, members, or missionaries.  I've gained more of a relationship with President Clark and have learned so much from him.

After interviews, we went on exchanges with the Zone Leaders.  I went to the Melbourne area with Elder Thomas.  We were able to go onto the Deseret Ranch which is owned by the church.  There are miles and miles of land that is used for cattle ranching.  There are members and non-members who live there so we taught a lesson and went to dinner.  It was really cool because they are all very southern and have thick southern accents.  I felt the Spirit the entire time I was with Elder Thomas.  This was one of the best exchanges I've been on.  Elder Thomas is so loving and spiritual.  I was able to realize things that I need to improve on and ways I can become a better missionary.

Funny side story: one morning, Elder Pottle wanted to eat a protein bar, when he opened the cupboard, I heard a soft scream.  Not a blood curdling scream, rather a surprised scream.  I instantly knew that it was a "I saw a cockroach and now I don't know where it is" scream.  I laughed as I watched Elder Pottle search through every item and cardboard box in the cupboard.  We finally found it and got rid of it, but this occurs way too often for it to be abnormal.

Sunday, we had atleast ten non-members at Sacrament meeting because of the primary program.  Our ward seriously has the cutest primary kids.  The Spirit was so strong in the meeting.  Even though most of the non-members that came aren't interested in the gospel, we hope that the program planted a seed for their future.

After church, we met with David and taught him the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  He is so prepared to hear the gospel right now.  He told us that he read Alma 36, highlighted verses, and memorized verse 30.  He said that he went through his own apostasy.  He is ready to hear God's voice and progress in the gospel.  It amazes me how the Spirit teaches people and how little missionaries actually do.  I feel like I'm just a witness to a marvelous change.

Mosiah 4:10 "And again, believe that ye must repent of your sins and forsake them, and humble yourselves before God; and ask in sincerity of heart that he would forgive you; and now, if you believe all these things see that ye do them." 

I can't believe we are starting week five of the transfer.  I've gotten to the point where I've forgotten things about the world.  I can't remember names of popular songs or movies.  It's hard to remember trips I've taken and things I did before my mission.  At this point, I only really know how to be a missionary.  It has been very rewarding to forget myself and allow the love of Christ to flow through me.

Have a great week!

Elder Poulsen

It still feels like the middle of summer to me

Roach huntin'

People here honestly have the hardest time spelling/pronouncing my name

Week 30: 2 Nephi 32:4

Lately I've been reading the new Saints Volume the Church released.  It is filled with chronological stories about the early stages of the truth.  Reading that through and reading the scriptures, continuing in prayer has increased my testimony of the Restoration.  All the little things help grow testimony.  My testimony has been strengthened in a short amount of time because I allow the faith to grow and I trust in the Lord.  I know Joseph Smith was a prophet and saw God The Father and Jesus Christ.  Because of this testimony, everything else figures its self out, and I am able to trust fully in the Lord.  I know that it is the small and simple things that strengthen us. 

Alma 32:28 "Now, we will compare the word unto a seed. Now, if ye give place, that a seed may be planted in your heart, behold, if it be a true seed, or a good seed, if ye do not cast it out by your unbelief, that ye will resist the Spirit of the Lord, behold, it will begin to swell within your breasts; and when you feel these swelling motions, ye will begin to say within yourselves—It must needs be that this is a good seed, or that the word is good, for it beginneth to enlarge my soul; yea, it beginneth to enlighten my understanding, yea, it beginneth to be delicious to me."

Elder Poulsen

Week 29: I Love to See the Temple

This week was long, not because it was a bad week but because we drove up to Orlando and back four times.

Monday night, we had a lesson with David.  He is a friend of a member.  He is in the Air Force and lives on Patrick Air Force Base in our area.  He's been coming to church the past 3 weeks and is more interested than most people.  He had a lot of questions relating to his Church experience.  We had four members at the lesson; three of whom are return missionaries.  It went really well and we cleared up a lot of things he was confused with.  We are meeting with him this week and we see a lot of promise in him.

Tuesday was our Zone Conference.  We talked a lot about working with the members and the Ward Council to get referrals.  We had little break out sessions in different rooms.  There were a total of four and every single one was the same topic.  We really had the idea of member work drilled into our head.  Zone Conference is always a great time.

Wednesday, we went to Seminary!  It was really fun to be back in a Seminary class but it was def different than my experiences.  I never had early morning Seminary and I never had a teacher who was unpaid.  It was really great.  The lesson was on D&C 18.  This is a really great missionary section.  We actually asked to come for the first time since being here.  It's crazy how that works out.  I want to share a few verses that are really great:  D&C 18:10-16 "Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God; For, behold, the Lord your Redeemer suffered death in the flesh; wherefore he suffered the pain of all men, that all men might repent and come unto him.  And he hath risen again from the dead, that he might bring all men unto him, on conditions of repentance.  And how great is his joy in the soul that repenteth!  Wherefore, you are called to cry repentance unto this people.  And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father!  And now, if your joy will be great with one soul that you have brought unto me into the kingdom of my Father, how great will be your joy if you should bring many souls unto me!"

Thursday I had a doctor's appointment in Orlando, so that was one more trip up there.  Friday, we woke up at 4:30 AM and got ready to go to the temple.  We had our semi-annual temple trip with the Zone.  It was a really great time and I was able to take a family name for an endowment.  We got a ride with a member, he had to leave right after we finished the session so we didn't get a picture with our District, but we made up for it with the help of Sister Doane's cropping skills.

Saturday we taught a man named Mark.  He's a great guy who was referred to us by a Bishop in another ward.  He's paralyzed from the waste down.  His electric wheel chair is pretty legit.  He talked a lot about his life and how he realizes he was narcissistic.  He has repented and made huge changes in his life.  Sadly, he's moving to another ward so we won't be able to teach him for very long, but it was a blessing to receive that referral and meet him.

The work moves forward.  It was a long week but I loved every minute of it.  I also heard that BYU beat #6 Wisconsin and now they're ranked.  Blessings of serving a mission carry farther than just the family.  I'm kidding of course.  My sister, Ashtyn, has been going through Cancer Treatment for the entirety of my mission.  I know that the most I can do for her and my family is to be out here, serving others and serving God.  One of the most important things we can do in this life is set aside our own desires and put others before ourselves.  I have seen the blessings that come from that. 

Have a great week! 

Elder Poulsen

The Original

Post-Crop

Week 29: Matthew 5:14-16

I was reading in the "How Do I Develop Christlike Attributes?" section of Preach My Gospel.  I came across the Humility subsection and was moved to read this scripture: 2 Nephi 9:28-29 "O that cunning plan of the evil one! O the vainness, and the frailties, and the foolishness of men! When they are learned they think they are wise, and they hearken not unto the counsel of God, for they set it aside, supposing they know of themselves, wherefore, their wisdom is foolishness and it profiteth them not. And they shall perish.  But to be learned is good if they hearken unto the counsels of God."

This is definitely more of a rebuking scripture, but I really love it because it teaches us not to rely on our own knowledge.  It definitely does not discourage knowledge.  If there's one thing I've told every investigator, it's that we need to study and find out for ourselves.  However, it does say that if we don't harken unto God's counsel, our knowledge profits us nothing.  I love learning new things about the gospel and the world.  I know that as we use our own knowledge, allow God to fill in the gaps, and harken unto His counsel, we will have more knowledge and understanding than we ever thought possible.

Elder Poulsen

Week 28: UNO with Frank

We had our ZTM on Wednesday.  Elder Pottle and I got put in charge of cooking the pork.  The Zone was attempting to make Café Rio style burritos.  We decided to go all in and do the actual recipe, except Dr. Pepper substituted for Coke.  We asked a member print off the recipe and we got cooking right away.  Our kitchen was a mess.  So many herbs and spices.  While the pork was in the slow cooker, we had an epiphany that we needed to make the Café Rio tomatillo sauce.  We asked the same member to print off the recipe and we made enough for the whole Zone.  Needless to say, lunch was a success.  ZTM was great.  The Spirit was strong.  We got to give a training on how we can better help the youth.  I always love giving trainings because I learn so much studying the topic.

This week we had an exchange with the Zone Leaders.  It was the first exchange I've had where I stayed in my area.  I can tell you that it's a lot more stressful to have a Zone Leader come into your area.  I had to figure out what we were going to do and hope that he thought it was a good use of our time.  We knocked a few doors and found a few people.  We aren't sure how solid they are but we are meeting with them this week.

On Thursday, we got a call from an older lady in our ward.  Her husband isn't a member and is suffering from Alzheimer's disease.  She was asking us to stay with Frank for an hour or so until someone else could come be with him.  Frank tends to worry while she's gone.  We biked 20 minutes north and got to Frank's house.  We talked to him about his life and how he grew up in the streets of Brooklyn.  We then played Uno with him which was super fun.

The weekend was pretty awesome.  One of the youth, Nathan, got his mission call to the Idaho Pocatello Mission.  We have gotten close with him over the past weeks, talking to him, and taking him out.  He's a great kid.  We then had two farewell talks for missionaries going to Italy and Paraguay.  The whole Sacrament meeting was centered around missionary work.  At the end of the meeting, we sang Called to Serve.  The Spirit was so strong.

Mosiah 2:22 "And behold, all that he requires of you is to keep his commandments; and he has promised you that if ye would keep his commandments ye should prosper in the land; and he never doth vary from that which he hath said; therefore, if ye do keep his commandments he doth bless you and prosper you."

That was the week in a wrap.  The snowball keeps rolling down the hill.  I have been blessed to serve in the Viera 1 area.  The ward is great and I love them dearly.  When we invest in other people's lives, we will love them more than we could ever expect.  Have a great week. 

Elder Poulsen

He had a hard time distinguishing 

between a 0 and a skip card

Post-ZTM