Adventure is Out There

The Bishop and Family

Good Morning!

Wow it was crisp this morning! It has been a while since I've experienced a chilly morning! The fall is on it's way!

This week was slow with teaching, but full of adventure! Adventure number 1 was all the rain we have had! It dumped Monday and then a constant rain for the next day or two after that. We happened to be in Walmart when the big dump occurred. So we ran as fast as we could to the car. But not fast enough. It would have been better if we had just jumped in a swimming pool, we were soaked! A very nice man came over though and offered his umbrella for a moment so we could get our grocery's in.

Adventure number 2. We whipped out the old bikes and gave them a spin, in our skirts! It was super fun and great exercise! My skirt got a little black on the ends but it's one I didn't care about too much. As we were biking the elders happened to be in the area and they stopped and said "Are y'all out of miles or something?" We said "No, we just wanted to ride our bikes!" They laughed like we were lying or something. Then they said "Try riding one for 5 months, then tell us how you feel about them." It was great though, and we looked like dorks with our helmets and all.

Adventure number 3. Pie making! We always have a treat after scripture class, and I had found some pudding mix in the kitchen, so we made a chocolate pie! It was a hit, and we had just enough slices for everyone! It was like the miracle with the loaves and fishes.

Adventure number 4. Sanding a members piano down to re-stain it. That was a blast! The B Family have this old piano they got for free from Craig's List and want to start fixing it up. So for 2 hours we sanded that baby down. We are going next week to hopefully start the staining process. We were all wearing masks and looked like dorks, but it was so fun :)

Adventure number 5. Smoothies with Bishop Harper. Last night, we went to bishop's house and had a meeting with him and the elders. Afterwards he made us some DELICIOUS smoothies. They were top notch.

There was a scare for a few days here in Rocky Mount too. A main gas pipe had busted and so gas prices went way up because gas was in short supply. But all is well now, they have re-routed the line and people have stopped panicking.

We had a fantastic lesson with K with Sister B(o) and B(a) in the Family History Center. We got her all logged in and starting it up! They were searching all over the web for info and such. It was so fun to see her get started!

Saturday was great, because it was the General Women's Broadcast! Before the broadcast the RS got together to have a little pie and ice cream before the broadcast. Sister E (RS President) was worried that, like last year, they would have too many pies. So this year she didn't send around a sign up sheet and just let everyone know that they are welcome to bring a pie or not. There was only one pie. Sister E said "Wow, from too many pies to only one. How extreme!" But there was plenty of ice cream, and not too many people showed up so it all worked out!

Thought for the week: It comes from District meeting. Elder Gardner shared how Moroni prepared the people well for the Lamanite army. He encouraged us to do the same for our investigators. The adversary WILL try to deceive them. There's no question there. But we can do everything in our power to prepare them to stand up to him. So we thought of some challenges that our investigators may come across, and we are making plans on how to prepare them to face those challenges. Some plans are to read the Book of Mormon everyday. And to make sure they understand how to pray sincerely. Things like that. So let's all prepare ourselves for the adversary's fiery darts and think of questions and concerns we want answered at general conference this week. The Prophet and apostles are our best resources for defending ourselves and our family and friends.

So yeah, general conference is this week, so pumped!! Seems like we just had it...
Transfer calls are also this week! I have no clue what is going to happen. So we will just have to wait and see!

Love y'all more than butter on toast. Wow. Now that's true love :)
Have a blessed week

Sista Poulsen

American Triangle of or cars at District Meeting

A Marvelous Work

Sister Poulsen with the sweet lady that takes such good care of  her in rocky Mount 

Howdy y'all!

What happened this week hmmm.... Well we had a wonderful Relief Society night!  Investigator K wasn't able to make it, unfortunately, but she was sad to miss it! She did make it to church though! I gotta get a picture with that girl. But the food was great! Everyone made just some yummy finger sandwiches. The best was the pimento cheese sandwiches with pumpernickel bread. SO GOOD. I recommend it highly. But we talked about Visiting Teaching, and there was  a little skit too, we were apart of it! They had animals pair up and visit their assigned animals. It was cute because the pigs were scared to visit the lion, and the cheetah just knocked on the door and ran to the next one, dropping off the recipe cards along the way. And the chipmunks talked and talked and didn't let hippo put in a single word. But the snail and the turtle showed us how to really do it at the end, so it was good! But the overall message was that there are a lot of ladies that get looked over in the ward. And so we need to step up our game! It was great :)

Zone Conference was great! We didn't combine with another zone though, that was a bit odd. But President Weed has his style of doing things! And the member of the 70 wasn't there, I was misinformed. He is going to be here in a week or so. So that will be exciting! Not sure if we will get to meet him but we will see! But we learned a lot about how to use our time wisely, and how time is our greatest recourse in missionary work. It can also be our greatest enemy (Example: being late to appointments, being overbooked etc)

We taught scripture class this week... and we talked about the gathering of the 12 tribes of Israel and Zion and all that fun deep stuff. But we learned a lot! That we are supposed to do missionary work to help bring those of the lost tribes back to the fold! Pretty neat stuff, I recommend you look into it sometime!

We helped sweet old Sister R with her garden. We basically pulled everything out. She had the cutest little green bell pepper just sprouting. I gave it a bite, super bitter! And then Sister Smith “What are the chances” me and I had to eat a super green tomato... it tasted like I just bit into Satan's nose. Blech. But it was good to do a little service, we don't get to do that too often!

The T Family had us for dinner, and they were so kind to invite K too over! She and Brother T had a great time talking about guns, it was so funny! We were all ready for dinner, and they are over there just chatting away.  But we are glad she is getting some great fellowship in the ward! We had a wonderful lesson about tithing. Teaching is just so fun, I love it :)

Then I went on exchanges with the sister training leaders on Saturday! I went to good ol' Goldsboro! It was pretty getto, I loved it! We saw some great people though! Everyone was quite nice! People in the South are just so kind. Well, most of them :)

We had 10 AM Church yesterday... it was actually pretty nice! People were still late though... that was pretty funny :) We still had to wake up at 6:30 because mission rules though. But we both felt a little more awake and ready to seize the day!

Other than that, it was just a great week full of missionary work! The members are great, they are so willing to help with anything! Having a ward family here helps a ton!

Thought for the week: 2 Nephi 29:1 "But Behold, there shall be many at that day when I shall proceed to do a marvelous work among them, that I may remember my convents which I have made unto the children of men, that I may set my hand again into the second tie to recover my people, which are of the house of Israel." As I said before, we talked about the gathering of Israel in scripture class. This scripture is talking about how the restoration of the gospel was the beginning of it all. That Joseph Smith was the start of the greatest and most marvelous work that will ever take place on this earth. I am just so grateful for the restoration. Without it... I for sure would not be here, and y'all wouldn't be where you are either! So this week, contemplate the restoration, and express thanks to God for it. It was and still is a marvelous work and a wonder.

Thanks for all the love support! Have a blessed week peeps!
LOVE, Sista Poulsen

I Can Do ALL Things

Another week come and gone!!

Well, this week was full of random, but great things! We helped a member bath her dog, kill flies, and hang up sheets. It was super great! Ask my mom for the picture evidence :)

We rehearsed our skit that we will be performing in the Relief Society VT conference this coming Tuesday. It is about Noah's ark and animals going around and visiting other animals. It's so cute! I am Noah's wife, I'm gonna dress up real fancy and act all sassy, can't wait!

We had our investigator,  K, over at the C family's for dinner, what a treat! She got a long well with them, and we had a great time! Sister C always makes such delicious food!

There was this sweet lady, A, that we were told to visit by a member. So we went over and she let us right in! She told us she was making some soup, so we jumped right in and helped her out! She gave us some to take home and we tried it the next day... super good! I took a pic of the recipe, I'll have to send it! The best part was when she said "Oh it's getting a little hot, sister will you cut the heat down!" HAHA My new favorite southern phrase... "Cut the heat down!"

We had breakfast for dinner twice this week... super delicious! And Sister H knows just how to make the perfect scrambled eggs! Man, now I'm hungry, we haven't had lunch yet!

Our schedule is about to be re-arranged... church is going to start at 10! I would be excited if we could sleep in till 7:30, but we are still missionaries so we wake up at 6:30 regardless. Choir is going to be at 9 instead of after church. And then they are having ward council on Wednesday nights at 8:15... strange. And we are moving coordination with the ward mission leader and the elders to Friday night instead of Saturday nights. Woah. We'll see how it goes!

Yesterday, Smith and I sang "Nearer My God to Thee" in church, it went well! Sister Smith's throat had been hurting her a little bit, but it sounded great up there! We were both shaking pretty bad, but it was all good in the end! I'm trying to share my talents a little more because when you share them, more come!

This week we are having Zone Conference with the area 70 coming to tour the mission. It's gonna be a great meeting! Stay tuned for some great insights from a 70!

Thought for the week: It is national day of encouragement today, so here is a great scripture of encouragement. Phillipians 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me."  With Christ by your side, you can do ALL things!

I hope you all have another marvelous week! Hope things start cooling down for ya, I will try to send some rain your way!
Love you all to bits, till the next time!
Love, Sista Poulsen

Lisa Says: I got a text with these great pics from Sister A.  She always takes good care of the girls and it seems that they are trying hard to return the favors.  Looks like Sister Poulsen is still using her Vet Tech skills and that the "auto mechanic" she gets from her genes is still working: 

Sister A says: " The sisters came over to bathe our white English Bulldog. I had washed what I call our dog sheets that I keep on the sofas unless someone comes to visit. We then take them off and put Benson (named after Ezra Taft Benson) in his crate. I fractured my right hand/wrist and had surgery two weeks ago. So there are a few things I cannot do well. I dry most everything in the dryer. However, I mentioned the sheets and they were ready to use our "solar dryer"(clothes line). You should have seen them. I had to give a couple of directions. It was funny because the main thing is just throw them over the line. They bathed Benson because he will be going to the Vet on  Friday for some surgery. Sister Poulson actually cleaned his ears and put medicine in them. 

"They have been so busy. An 8 year old got baptized Sat. A father and two teenage daughters got baptized Sunday. They are teaching 3 investigators that I know about as well. They work so well together. All of us members love them. Thanks Sis. A"

"The sisters just stopped in, Mike and I had just pulled in the garage and I backed up because it looked like too much water or oil or something on the concrete. Sister Poulsen looked all under the car(like a mechanic. Lol) She said something is running out of the car. My brother in law and husband drove it to the dealership. Someone from there brought them home. We think it is the water pump. These girls are always offering to help in someway. I was thankful today... It is a gorgeous day."

Lisa Says: When I asked Tara about bathing the dog and hanging sheets adventure in my email, this is what she said: "HAHA Yea that was so fun! He also needed his ears cleaned wayyyy bad so i helped poor Benson by doing a little vet tech work on him. It was great, it took me back! Sister A was so cute though. We were trying to hang sheets... and we had no idea how to do it! She was laughing so hard, it was great!"

Hurricanes Can't Keep These Sisters Down!

Hello from a very wet NC!

So as y'all may have heard, a hurricane was headed our way! But... it was not all it was cracked up to be. We didn't get hit too bad. Just rained all day and night, with a little wind. There were some branches torn off here and there but not bad. So yeah for my first hurricane. K (our female investigator) was kind of sad for us that we didn't get to experience something more intense. I'm sure I'll get a good one later!

We had an extremely busy week! Our schedules were just packed everyday with set appointments and such! But that's wonderful, The Lord is blessing us with lots to do!

We had a great zone meeting... except for the fact that me and Smith gave a training! Super scary standing up in front of all dos missionaries, but it turned out alright. We talked about accountability, and I learned some stuff for myself.

Then our AMAZING members the H family invited 2 or our investigators over for dinner!!! K and K. It was a fantastic time! Member home lessons are great because the investigators gets some fellowship and gets to feel the spirit in the home! They both liked it!

We finally were able to catch up with P (recent convert) and have a lesson with her! It has been weeks. She's such a busy 11 year old girl I guess. But then we went to subway after and had dinner with her and the M(a) Family . Good times!

We had a neat experience tracting. So I was just flipping around in this cul-de-sac and I felt a need to knock on a door. So I stopped and we got out. No one answered. Next door, there was a car in the driveway so I just thought "Might as well do this one too." Long story short they let us in, gave us some water, and we had a great restoration lesson with them! Sad ending, a few days later they texted us and said they weren't interested, but it was still a cool experience!

We have just felt so grateful for the members lately. So we made some cookies and caroled at their door with a little plate of our homemade cookies! We sang hymns, but it was basically caroling. We even made sister H cry! So sweet, we just love our members, they are such good missionaries!

K (investigator) came to church on Sunday! The members were fab and came right up to meet her! She felt loved! I tried to place myself in her shoes and imagine it was my first time at an LDS service. It's kinda weird! She probably felt a little overwhelmed, but she said she liked it too! We met her and sister H (our member – exercise trainer)  this morning and went for a jog too, which was fun! I rode the bike, cuz they all did track and I was all like "Nah, I'm not in the mood to die today." And then we are seeing her tonight as well. She's gonna be sick of us! But she's wonderful!

Then the biggest thing of them all.... THE M(o) Family WERE BAPTIZED!!! What an amazing day!! The spirit was definitely present, and they all looked so happy!! They had a little lunch afterwards and you could just tell a difference in them! They had the spirit with them, it was incredible! So happy for them!

Thought for the week: The blessing of baptism is so amazing! We are promised from God (and He always keeps His promises) that He will ALWAYS allow His spirit to be with us as we keep our end of the deal. All we must do is serve others and obey Gods commandments. Sound like anyone we know? Yup, as we act as Christ would act, we are fulfilling our end of the deal, and God will fulfill His. What a great blessing! The guidance of the spirit is crucial. And having a member of the almighty all-knowing Godhead with us... pretty cool stuff!

Love you guys, and have a great day off!
Love, Sista Poulsen

Hurricane Hermine

Lisa Says: So the weather looked bleak from our point of view of Sister Poulsen (via weather satelite)  Sister Smith's mom and I got a great text from a wonderful sister in the Rocky Mount ward that made me feel much better about the whole thing and gave me some great insight to boot!

     "Just wanted to let you know we were with the sisters until 6:30pm. They taught a lesson at the Church and went to the [H Family's] for dinner. they live even closer to the sisters. It has rained most of the afternoon; however not bad. I guess the wind mimght pick up some later but the storm is going across the edge of NC which is about 135 - 140 miles from us.
     Last night the sisters came to dinner and then went to teach someone about 5:30. we rode over there for their scripture study class at 7pm. They had a pretty good group. They taught the 8th article of Faith.  They were awesome. They got all of us to rad and discusse
d the verses as we read.
     Both of them work so well together. They had two investigators there. You moms would love to see them.  They bring the spirit into any room.
Don't worry. This is not a hurricane....just a steady rain."

I loved this so much!!  I am so grateful to members that watch out for my girl while she is so far from home.