April 27, 2015

I have read a lot in Predicad Mi Evangelio this past week about Misionero de Éxito and Confiar en el Espíritu. I have such a strong testimony of this book! It really is made for us to help us be truly converted. 

Here is a little bit about my investigators. Man came to church! And he is really desirous to be baptized! I have been praying so hard for him! He came to all the meetings. Last week he couldn't come to church and he felt shame so he didn't want to call us Monday or Tuesday. We had an impression to call the branch president and have him call Man. And everything is so good now! They are friends and Man doesn´t feel lonely. He wants to keep commitments to please our Heavenly Father, not us! 

We dropped M and J again. They like to listen and they told us they have experiecned many miracles and blessings in the last 2 months that we have been working with them, but they really "don´t have the time or energy to continue on". I would imagine, they have 3 little kids and they are both working temporary jobs. And they are searching for a place to rent and dealing with her divorce and their plans to get married (not). I KNOW IT IS HARD TO HAVE TIME; BUT REALLY IF YOU PUT HEAVENLY FATHER FIRST EVERYTHING ELSE WILL WORK OUT! I don´t know how many times I have testified of that. Not just to them but to everyone else too. 

Other than that nothing is really different. We are finishing up this last cambio. My companion leaves this next sunday after almuerzo and I am really really really sad. She goes back to Guatemala.

This week isn´t anything too special...but I am trying to see the tender mercies of the Lord in my life. I try to write down the times that I see the Hand of the Lord in my life and in the lives of my investigators. 

 

We had a lesson with Manuel! 

We found a menos activo family!

We ate pizza at Mama Mia!

I didn´t roll my ankle hiking!

I got rid of my fleas! (mostly)

We have hot water to shower!

and lastly,

I got emails from people! I LOVE MY MISSION!!!

Love you all,

Hermana Poulson

A Great Week

April 20, 2015

Hey family! I love you guys!

This week was SUPER BAKAN! We had the conference with President on Tuesday, and the Special Conference Saturday with Elder Oaks. I am amazed and I have the strongest testimony that these men are called of God. I said so many prayers in preparation for these conferences and guess what! They all got answered! It was like Heavenly Father was speaking directly to me! I love the power of Prayers and I love Conferences!

Tuesday:

The Conference was super good! We talked about the faith to find. That really all our efforts in finding come down to our faith. It kinda hit me hard, I am not having the success I want and I struggle to find people to progress. Really I need to have more Faith. I think in our lives we don´t realize the power of our faith. We all at times lack faith and try to rely solely on our own efforts. You would think we would realize how much better off we are with Him. That´s why we need faith.

Saturday:

Elder Oaks was just amazing! Even if it was transmitted from Santiago, it was still awesome! I get so happy to hear his voice! The message was really about how important the Holy Ghost is in conversion. I am not the teacher, the Spirit is. I needed that reminder. He also said something really profound at the end that answered so many of my questions and doubts. Read Alma 7:11-12. That has always been one of my favorite scriptures. But to have an apostle apply that scripture specifically to me, it kinda blew my mind. I love the power of the atonement. Elder Oaks said something really funny and I just had to write it down: "Forget about everything at home. You are a FULL TIME MISSIONARY. You can´t expect all the blessings of missionary work if you are only working part time. Forget your friends, your works, your sports and whatever else keeps your from focusing on the work. And forget the girlfriend at home, I can promise you she will find company;)"

If you can´t tell today we went to the Termas de Chillan! It was super sic up in the volcanic mountains. There was cool steams and hot springs and snow of course!!! I was happier than I should have been! It just looked like home! I can´t believe you guys finally got snow! I am so jealous!!

So Saturday was a torrential rainstorm! And we were caught with nothing to protect us! It was sooooo much fun! The rain is different here...but it is so much fun to walk in the flooded streets! (only when you have rain boots though;))

(Clever name not included)

April 13, 2015

We have a conference tomorrow with President Arrington, I have to play a musical number in front of 3 zones...it scares the living daylights outta me!!! I am excited though:) and then a SPECIAL CONFERENCE this Saturday with Elder Dallin H. Oaks, it is a video feed from Santiago, I am stoked!!!! 

This week our investigator M.  FINALLY came to church! I am so excited! Seriously we have been fasting at least once a week that our investigators have a desire to come to church! We only have 3 investigators right now: J and M, they have that huge family! We dropped them a week or two ago and picked them back up. They have problems smoking and aren't living the law of chastity, so they have lots to work on, but we aren't giving up on them. They really are super good! They have a couple kids that sit upstairs whenever we come to teach. But I know they are listening because I see them poke their heads out from above the steps. Its really cute actually! I saw the boy Danilo praying, and their family isn't religious so the only way he could know how is because of us!!! I am praying that they are my story of success, faith and perseverance. 

The members feed me TONS of food. They all make fun of me now because I have gained about 5 kilos and you can TOTALLY SEE IT IN MY STOMACH AND HIPS!!! They say they are trying to roll me back to the States. I taught them the word foodbaby. They like to tease me and ask me how my foodbaby is doing everyday:)

We played soccer again with Ronald and J (investigator) and Angel. They are the jovenes of this rama and we made sopapillas with Hermano Carlitos (branch mission leader). And we have Noches de Hogar with members and converts and investigators. It is so much fun! I wouldn´t want to be doing anything else with my life. I love my mission and I love Bulnes, even if I am not having the success I want.

I have really learned a lot about what success is. I really feel like a strong relationship with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ is what will bring the most success and having faith in THEIR plan. Sometimes I ask in my prayers and just expect that they will give me what I want. "I have faith that you can help me with this or that" But really that isn't faith. Yeah it is but not faith in THEIR plan. I am learning so much out here....I thought I was spiritually strong before! But BOY WAS I WRONG!!! Another key to success really is Having the Holy Ghost with you. I am still working on recognizing when It is the spirit or if I am just crazy;) Just kidding! I know that everything good comes from God (moroni 7)

Okay anyways, Love you all and I am so glad you got my cards!!! I got letters from the primary kids so tell them Thanks! 

Sorry I don´t have time to write the other kids individually, can you tell them I love them?:)

Love,

Hermana Poulson

Conference Weekend

April 6, 2015

That just about sums up my life. I looked forward to conference all week and it was honestly the best experience ever!!! Seeing temple square and listening to the talks in English really made me homesick! I miss the familiar site and sounds of conference and home! and the cinnamon roll breakfast! We attempted to do one with just us hermanas...it was an adventure!

We watched conference from the comforts of our tiny chapel. Hermana Godown and I watched them in Spanish. There were only about 10 people from the Rama that came to conference...kinda crappy but I am praying that they will grow stronger and really be converted one day. But really conference was amazing!! I know without a doubt that prophets are called of God, because only God knows exactly what I needed to hear. It was so good. I know all the things I need to do to be better and sometimes it is overwhelming. I have no idea what I am doing here most days. I try my best to speak the language but the people don´t understand me. I have a few good moments when I can testify really strongly and the spirit speaks through me. I continually pray for those experiences.

Here is my story of conference for the week: It was Sunday morning session, Hermana Godown and I were happily enjoying the first few minutes of President Monson's talk. And then my favorite person came and told us we were taking their signal and that we needed to get off. We told her we were on another wifi so it didn't matter. She left. Then Carlitos (the mission leader) came and explained that she was complaining and that we should get off so she doesn´t hate us even more. I was really emotional for some reason...I wanted to watch conference in ENGLISH! It is hard to be thinking in two languages!!! I really wanted to hear the actual voices of the prophets and not just some Spanish voice over! This was so important to me! And then Carlitos said something that changed me, "Hermana Poulson, you understand more Spanish than you think. You are doing really well. I know its hard but if you go in there and watch it in Spanish I know you will be able to understand. Have faith in God and have confidence in the Gift of Tongues." and then he left. 

As tiny tears escaped from my eyes I went into the chapel and sat down. And you know what! I started listening and writing notes in English (usually when I hear in Spanish I write in Spanish). MY FAVORITE SPEAKERS happened to all speak this session....so I was a little emotional again and then we sang my favorite Hymn: I Know That My Redeemer Lives". After that session ended and everyone went to Almorzar Hna Godown and I rewatched it in English. you know what surprised me? My notes were perfectly written with what the speakers were saying. I had understood PERFECTLY what they where saying in Spanish. THAT DOESN`T HAPPEN WITHOUT THE HELP OF GOD. I know without a shadow of a doubt that I was blessed with the Gift of Interpretation of Tongues.

I wish I could write everything I learned but sadly there isn't enough time. 

I love you all and I am glad you guys had a nice spring break down in St. George. Tell everyone I love them, especially Trevor! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

Con MUCHO Amor,

Hermana Poulson