Lots of service lined up this week! We cut down a little tree for L (fav member) and painted some more of her house. There was this super ugly green corner that we finally finished for her, it was good stuff! We also helped Sister B some more with her house, we are fixing up this old brick to get ready to pain and make look super nice in her kitchen! It is almost done she is so excited! We also went and cleaned a bit at V's, and then made waffles! She is blind so she is unable to, so we stepped in and made them for her! It was super fun :)
We tracted into this super funny woman who said the greatest thing... we introduced our selves, Sisters Olsen and Poulsen... and like everyone they pause and laugh at our names. But she looked at us and said "Well hallelujah!" HAHA I love the South!!
[Lisa's note: "Tracting" is what missionaries call knocking door to door to find people that might want to hear a message about the Savior or to be taught a gospel lesson about families being forever, why we are here on this Earth, the restoration of the Lord's gospel on the Earth, or about the Book of Mormon being another scriptural witness of Jesus Christ. It is called "Tracting" because religious pamplets about these topics that are left with interested folks are called missionary tracts. Here is a favorite: Plan of Salvation]
As a mission, we have been making a good effort to make meals with members more purpose driven. So we are trying to get rid of people just dropping off food and having investigators and others in members homes. This is a great focus! It is not the members job to feed the missionaries, it is there job to help us find people to teach, and to teach with us! We are hoping this new focus can help us find new people to teach!
We ate at L's (fav member) too, and introduced Sister Olsen to spam.... haha her face :) I sure have missed some good old spam! Other crazy meals, mac and cheese crust pizza... yup... Justin stop drooling. It was just mac and cheese on the bottom as the crust and pizza stuff on top. WOW. Then we also had Mexican haystacks... fritos on bottom with chilli and whatever else on top... super good! With that we had Mexican Cocktail too... look it up, super good! So we had quite the food adventures this week :)
[Lisa says: don't judge the sheltered Mormon girl from Utah that doesn't know that a "cocktail" is a general term for a typically alcoholic drink mixed with fruit juice or cream. I'm sure that they were having a non-alcoholic version of one of these Mexican cocktails. If Tara liked it, then my money is on the Horchata. They are deliciously creamy with cinnamon. Try one of these for yourselves!]
Other then that, it's been a pretty slow week. BUT that isn't stopping us :)
Thought for the week: I read a talk about how missionaries can gain greater faith. One of the 3 tips the guys gave was to be grateful. Sister Olsen and I have made a great effort to before we come in for the night, to say a gratitude prayer. It has really been a good focus. And my mom sent me a letter today all about it, so I think we are all agreed that gratitude it a great thing! I have truly felt it lift the work, and help us out! So add a little more gratitude into your life, and see the miracles flow.
LOVE Y'ALL!!! Be blessed :)
Sista Poulsen
p.s. Also cool miracle I wanted to tell ya. We have been speed walking in the mornings for exercise. But it makes my shins REALLY hurt IDK why. So we walk for a bit and usually stop and I massage them out and then on the walk back it is not as bad but still hurts. So the other day we got to half way, and it was super painful and so I just cried out and asked God to make it stop. While walking back, I got the impression to "walk with Sister Olsen" Sometimes I walk ahead of her because she does not walk as fast. But I listened and obeyed. My shins were tight, but no pain whatsoever the way back it was amazing.
[Lisa says: Don't worry, I looked up and got her some good advice about stride length, stretches, and ice to help with shin splints. Isn't it cool, tho, that the Spirit knew that changing her stride length by walking with her companion would be the answer to the pain? #promptings]
