Monday, February 14, 2022

Thats a wrap folks

Thats a wrap. My mission is coming to an end and this Thursday I will be back in Utah. I could not be more sad! Leaving the mission is heartbreaking, but I'm so grateful for this year and a half that the Lord has given me! 


This week was good! 


Highlights (except most of them were goodbyes 😭)


-We had breakfast with Brother Hinis for the last time! I love that man! 


- Gail from Arlington came to take us to lunch! She gave me a cross she brought back from Israel along with a cute cross ring. I was able to give her a Book of Mormon! It was actually a miracle. I've known Gail for a long time and I've wanted to give her a Book of Mormon, but it's just never felt right! Well, it did this time and she was so happy I gave it to her . She told me she knew it was important to me and she would cherish it forever! I'm hoping she reads it! 


- We went to Valerie's house and were able to do a bible study! As she prayed at the end she asked Heavenly Father to bless me in my journey and told Him she was grateful we were friends through Christ and she started to cry! Those are the moments that break my heart. We were able to do a bible study with her and her grandkids! That's what this work is all about. Val isn't ready to accept the fully restored Gospel yet, but she's on her journey! 


- Romina and Suliasi came to take me out to dinner. They called Presdient Chapman and got permission to take me and multiple other missionaries out to dinner from other zones ahah love them! They took me to PF Changs and treated me like a princess. At the end they both got up and bore their testimony and the spirit filled me with the greatest feeling of love and peace. There were a lot of tears and they told me that they truly consider me one of their daughters! I'm so grateful to have my second set of parents here in Texas! Love them and what this gospel has done for them and their family! 


- We got lots of new jewelry this week. Sister Brunken and Sister Casteleiro had us go through their jewelry with them and it was so much fun! Best service ever! Going over to Sister Brunken’s for the last time was bittersweet! I sure love her and her mom Joan!


- We had dinner with Sister Stanley and Casteleiro at the Cheescake Factory and boy was it yummy! 


Spiritual thought: As my full time mission comes to a close, I can't help but think how grateful I am for what I've learned out here. I've learned so much about God's love and Christs Atonement. There are specific verses from the Book of Mormon that have really helped me throughout my whole mission. 


3 Nephi 17:5-7 


     5 And it came to pass that when Jesus had thus spoken, he cast his eyes round about again on the multitude, and beheld they were in tears, and did look steadfastly upon him as if they would ask him to tarry a little longer with them.

   6 And he said unto them: Behold, my bowels are filled with compassion towards you.

    7 Have ye any that are sick among you? Bring them hither. Have ye any that are lame, or blind, or halt, or maimed, or leprous, or that are withered, or that are deaf, or that are afflicted in any manner? Bring them hither and I will heal them, for I have compassion upon you; my bowels are filled with mercy. 


JESUS WILL HEAL EVERY ONE OF YOU! HE IS HERE FOR EACH OF US INDIVIDUALLY!  


I plead with y’all! Follow Him! You won't regret it! 


I love you all so much! I can’t express my gratitude for these last 18 months! 


Forward Texas Fort Worth! 


Love Y'all 


Signing off - Sister Poulson 


Joan


Sister Quinby

The Merrifield's

Gail

The Hancock's

Cheesecake Factory 


Sister Brunken

PF Changs with Romina & Susiasi



Wendy the Western wild woman and Penny the prickly pirate 


The elders made a cake and brought it to district council for my funeral 

(they call it "dying" when you go home)














Monday, January 31, 2022

Can I offer you some sin?

This week was good! 

We taught Valerie again. She isn't interested in taking the lessons yet. Key word being yet, but we are going to continue studying the Bible with her weekly and she is going to continue to read the Book of Mormon.  So, that is super happy! I know she'll feel the peace and happiness it brings! 


The weather was SO NICE this week! We could go outside and not be cold at all, but also not hot. 
It was amazing, like the dream temp. So we spent a lot of time knocking doors and street contacting this week. As we were street contacting in Downtown Grapevine we were trying to figure out how we wanted to approach people. Then all the sudden, I kid you not, it was like the movies.  Sister Andersen and I turn to each other and say "I have an idea" in unison. It was THE SAME IDEA! So we did that and we ended up talking to a lot of people. We had this super creepy person we talked to lol! He's a child of God! So it was great! 


Okay insane thing. I had Sushi this week and I actually enjoyed it! I know.... straight miracle. If you don't know, I'm super picky lol. Not so much anymore! 


Also this week I hit 18 months as a missionary. So that's super crazy. Im really excited to see everyone, but I'm so sad to end my mission :( but God knows best! 


Spiritual Thought: I read this quote as I was studying this week.  It's by Dallin H Oaks and he says, "Today, my message concerns such good and religious-minded people who have stopped attending or participating in their churches. When I say “churches”, I include synagogues, mosques, or other religious organizations. We are concerned that attendance in all of these is down significantly, nationwide. If we cease valuing our churches for any reason, we threaten our personal spiritual life, and significant numbers separating themselves from God reduce His blessings to our nations." 


Remember that church is so important. I PROMISE you will see blessings in your life from going to church and showing God your love and gratitude for Him and his Son and our Savior Jesus Christ. 


I love y’all! 


Sister Poulson 


Sisters!


Canes!

Joan!  Lol I love her!

SUSHI

Downtown Grapevine


Ice cream for my 18 months!

Sisters Call Devotional

Brother Pete Hinis!






Monday, January 24, 2022

A trip to my childhood


Sorry it has been a couple weeks since I wrote! 


Important updates: 


I no longer have covid so I can be a real missionary again, wahoo! 


Romina(someone I taught in Hurst), Suliasi, and Leo came down to take me out to breakfast! I missed them so much and it was so good to see them! 


Gail (someone I did service with in my first area) came down to take us to lunch! It was so fun to see her as well! 


We met and have started teaching a lady named Valerie. We went and had our first lesson with her Tuesday and it was such a good lesson. She said that ever since we had knocked on her door she couldn't get our faces out of her head and that she prayed to God about us and our message. There we are a few days later sharing His message with her. The spirit was so strong and we are excited to go back this Wednesday! Please keep her in your prayers!


James is a man that I met probably 4 months ago, and we haven't really seen him since. Well, on Tuesday we were able to set up an appointment. He's a cop and so he shared with us the stress that gives him. We shared Alma 7:11-13 (classic missionary scriptures) and testified that Jesus Christ knows exactly what he's going through. Well, he came to church yesterday! This is a big deal for this area. I've been here almost 6 months and never have I had someone come to the Colleyville Ward. They haven't had a baptism here in 20 years! It's boujee town. But we here are trying to break that streak lol! 


Wednesday we had exchanges! I was with Sister McNaughton. Ever since she got to the mission everyone has told us how similar we are lol. So it was fun to go on an exchange. It was so fun and we were laughing the whole time!  


Friday we had breakfast with Sister Brunken and her mom Joan. Then it was lunch with Gail. Well, then we had a fun trip to the what we thought was urgent care. Turns out we actually went to an alone standing ER, whoops. Anyways, Sister Andersen was having some weird pain in her ribs and it got really bad. They thought it was her gallbladder and that she might need surgery. But good news, no surgery for her. The bad news is we still don't know what it is. She is feeling better though so that's a good thing! 


Saturday Sister Marshall(past companion) came back to visit the mission! It was so exciting to see her and go to lunch with her! I love that lady! 


My spiritual thought comes from the Come Follow Me reading this week! 


In Moses 6 it talks about a prophet named Enoch. In it God reveals himself to Enoch and tells him he needs him to go unto the people and preach the gospel. In this moment Enoch is scared and asks "why me" I'm not enough and this is Heavenly Father’s reply...


Verses 32- 34 says 


"32 And the Lord said unto Enoch: Go forth and do as I have commanded thee, and no man shall pierce thee. Open thy mouth, and it shall be filled, and I will give thee utterance, for all flesh is in my hands, and I will do as seemeth me good.

33 Say unto this people: Choose ye this day, to serve the Lord God who made you.

34 Behold my Spirit is upon you, wherefore all thy words will I justify; and the mountains shall flee before you, and the rivers shall turn from their course; and thou shalt abide in me, and I in you; therefore walk with me."


God can make anything into everything he needs. Are you willing to sacrifice your life to God? In return, through Jesus Christ He can help you move mountains and do what you may think is impossible! 


I love y'all


Sister Poulson



Exchanges with Sister McNaughton

Yummy Food

Breakfast with Brother Hinus

Sister Marshall


Not Urgent Care


We found nature in Colleyville. Miracle!

Joan and Sister Brunken

Us when we study at parks. Why people think we are weird 😂🤦🏽‍♀️

Gail

Romina and Suliasi

Just Us!









Monday, January 10, 2022

It was inevitable

 Hello Friends!

So to start off. I have Covid🥳 I made it 17 months on my mission before getting it. Pretty Impressive if you ask me. 

So, we had transfers before we got covid this week. It's just Sister Andersen and I now. Can't believe I just started my last transfer. It feels so fake and I’m actually so sad about it. I mean I’m excited to see my fam and all, but I'm going to miss wearing Christ’s name everyday! 


We got to know the new Sisters in our zone! Love them all. 


We helped Moira and Joan with service again! 


Then we tested positive for covid and we have just been stuck inside since. My head hurts and burns so bad which has probably been the worst part of this and then it's just hard to breathe, but I'm super grateful for my healthy body and that my companion and I will recover just fine! 


Alma 5:60 "And now I say unto you that the good shepherd doth call after you; and if you will hearken unto his voice he will bring you into his fold, and ye are his sheep; and he commandeth you that ye suffer no ravenous wolf to enter among you, that ye may not be destroyed"


The Lord is our Shepherd and he's calling after you! 


Love y’all so much! 


Sister Poulson


Me trying to ice my head


Us stuck inside.  
Almost feels like the beginning of my mission or something 🤠 






Monday, January 3, 2022

Witches Riding Scooters

 Hello my friends. Here is a run down of my week! 


12-28-2021

Tuesday was good! In the morning we had studies and District council! Afterwards we went to BJs for pazookie Tuesday and that was the best part of the day! We went tracting and it was so much fun! Everyone that answered was so friendly or the complete opposite ahaha! There was this guy named Glen! He was awesome. I hope I've grown a lot spiritually on the mission, but I guess I still look the same physically because he would not believe that I was older than 17 ahahah! I felt Christ’s light through the short times I was able to testify to each of those people that God and Jesus Christ are truly there for us. 


12-29-2021

Wednesday was my 17 months which is crazy. I still feel like a little greenie. My fav thing that day was my studies! I really payed attention to the words of "Where Can I Turn For Peace"  and wanted to share the last verse with you


     He answers privately,

     Reaches my reaching

     In my Gethsemane, Savior and Friend.

     Gentle the peace he finds for my beseeching.

     Constant he is and kind,

     Love without end.


We also taught Ruth that day!  Love that lady!


12-30-2021

Thursday we had a fun thing happen! We were being the kindest souls ever and we were making some of the Elders who live by us soup. They got covid and so we thought we would be little angels! Mainly Sister Andersen made it. Point is, we realized we didn't have one of the ingredients so we had to run to the store.  While we were there we ran into some people from my last area in the Tongan ward! They also happened to be the mom of sister Andersons district leader in the MTC. Anyways, they ended up paying for our groceries and we set up to eat dinner with them on Saturday! 


12-31-2021

Friday we helped Sister Brunken and her mom, Joan, with some service! We helped them make this fancy dog food that Sister Brunken sells! It was nasty with all this liver and stomach stuff. For the pups I guess. Anyways, it was a good time and then after they took us out to lunch. That night we partied hard ahahah jkjk….we watched the movie Love, Kennedy. This movie is so good, but so sad and it hit a little close to home for me.  It's a good show though. It's a true story about a girl with special needs. In the end she is *SPOILER ALERT* she is dying and the girls from her school ask her if she can see Jesus. She tells them yes. She was so close to the spirit and so close to crossing through the veil she could literally see Jesus Christ. Reminded me of my big Sister Shayla! If you haven't met her you need to because she holds the spirit like no other person I've ever met! 


01-01-2022

Saturday we had lunch with Gail! For those of you who don’t remember, Gail is someone from my very first area in the mission that I used to do service with! I love her so much and I'm so happy I got to see her. I also got to talk to my Grandpa for his birthday! He told me the story of how him and my grandma met and it was the best story ever! Then the temperature here dropped like 120000 degrees in like 1 second and it was so cold. We had to go help Brother Beck with fixing his fence. We were so cold, but I learned a lot about fixing a fence. That night we went to dinner with the people we had run into at the store. Their kids were there and I knew them from the YSA ward, so it was so fun to see them! 


01-02-2022

Sunday we had 3 churches wahoo! We started studying the Come Follow Me for this year and I'm actually so excited to study the Old Testament! We also got transfer news and I will be staying with my trainee Sister Andersen. Sister Adkison will be staring a service mission this Wednesday. Super proud of her and everything she's gone through with her Rock solid attitude! 


Spiritual Thought: 1 John 4:19 "We love him, because he first loved us."


Remember to love Him and the people around you! 


Something else I've realized this week is we need to be loving and forgiving ourselves! Sometimes I find myself beating myself up. That's not Christlike. I teach everyday to the people around me that they can be forgiven of their sins. Then I'm a hypocrite when I get home and think about all the things I've done wrong. So, remember to forgive yourself! Because that's what Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father have asked of you! 


Love Y'all more than you know! 


Sister Poulson 



The Vimahis's...the people we ran into at the store


The soup we left

Helping with the fence

Me not wanting to run!

Another pic of helping with the fence

Eating dinner with the Vimahis Family

Grandpa Poulson

Sisters

Celebrating New Years!




Sister Atkinson (Addy)

Panda Express!

Lunch with Gail


Sister McNaughton

Brother Hinus