That Was Terrifying

This week Elder McFarland and I went on exchange together. Elder McFarland came to the mission at the same time as me, so we had two missionaries together who have only been in the field for 7ish weeks. He likened it to the moment when your parents leave you had home alone with your brothers and you realize that they aren't watching what you're doing anymore. We worked together really well though--it was awesome. It was terrifying though, because we were in Gloucester and I had to be the one that knew where to go and who to go visit and how to get around and not get lost. One investigator we went to go see, I didn't know how to get to his house. And it wasn't on the map because it is in a new area of town. But then we found it somehow.

Also terrifying was telling our Jamaican friend Daryl that he wasn't actually baptized by proper authority. We talked all about how the Church was restored through Joseph Smith and read about the Priesthood being restored and everything and the necessity of it being in a direct line from Jesus Christ by the laying on of hands and I showed him my line of Priesthood Authority. We went around in circles around it enough times and he didn't seem to get it, so I just had to tell him that he wasn't baptized by proper authority. He took it really well, relatively. Although he wanted me to be sure that I have not been deceived ("the thing about being deceived...is that you don't know that your being deceived" he said--he is so hilarious). So I made him a deal that he and I would both go home and pray to know if the true priesthood authority of God is found only in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This is when it got really terrifying. We made a deal that if he prayed and came to know this to be true, he would be baptized. If I prayed and didn't feel that it was true, I would go home. Well, I'm still in England. So that tells you I got my answer from the Lord. Daryl is still studying and praying about it. But I am very grateful that he was man enough to take the challenge. And he will be as well.

Love,

Elder Poulsen

"Do I Know You?"

I get to keep Elder Chardon! He's still here--so we'll be together for another 6 weeks. Then he'll probably transfered somewhere else and I'll still be here in Gloucester (also known as the promised land). Also its his birthday next month (he's super old--he's turning 23). But I don't think its really possible to get a birthday present for your companion when you are always within sight and sound of each other. It makes it a bit difficult.

A few days ago we were riding our bikes and Elder Chardon stopped and tried to talk to this guy that was on the sidewalk.

"Do I know you?" the man asked (make sure you read that in an English accent--I still get a kick out of it every time)

"no"

"What are you pestering me for then?" (don't forget the accent).

"we're missionaries..."

"I don't care."

I thought that was pretty hilarious. On sunday we had an awesome stake conference. One of the bishops of another ward in the stake is a pretty good organist, so it was sweet to hear some good organ playing. The main portion of the meeting, however, was a broadcast from Salt Lake (I'm assuming it wasn't live--I don't think General Authorities wake up at 2 in the morning to talk to a video camera). It was really good. The first talk was given by David S. Baxter, a member of the quorum of the seventy originally from Scotland. He talked about how there are so many problems in the world. And we have the solution to them all--The Gospel of Jesus Christ! We need to share it with people. But we cannot lead others to Christ unless we have already found him. We need to have a fire of testimony burning in us that shines through our eyes so everyone can see it.

We got to meet up with a friend of ours named Daryl this week (we haven't gotten to see him in almost a month because he's been really busy). He's jamaican (so are most of the people we teach--for some reason, jamaican people really like Elder Chardon). He's almost 24 and is going to start a university course in september to learn how to do some sort of electronic music making because that is what he wants to do. He's really cool. He has been a strong Christian his whole life and is really enjoying the new knowledge of The Book of Mormon. We just need him to realize that he hasn't actually been baptized by proper authority yet, like he thinks he has. But when we met with him last week it was apparent that we needed to not touch that issue. He was really down in the dumps because he had been caught up in work and hadn't been reading his scriptures and praying very much. So we talked to him about prayer and scripture study and read Enos 1:1-12 with him. It was an awesome experience. The moral of the story is that you should read the scriptures and pray. Every day. It will make you happy.

Love,

      Elder Poulsen

Missionary Vocabulary

Pictures!

1. This is a proper suit. Its quite tight. Also very nice. 100% wool. Its pretty wonderful. To an Englishman, and American suit is equivilant to a parachute. They have really cool blue suits here too. I'm going to have to get one before I go home.

2. This is the purple lining of my suit. I just need more purple ties now to go with it.

3. This is some wall art across the street from the library where I am emailing from. Its actually really impressive. There are a few othere paintings around here done by the same person. They are pretty cool.

Here's some fun missionary vocabulary for you guys:

flogged: This is when you set up an appointment with someone and then they aren't there when you go to see them. It would be funnier if it didn't happen so often.

dodge night: This is the night when you find out if you are going to be transfered or not. Its tonight. And then if you are being transfered, you move on wednesday. Pretty crazy. I'm not really scared that I'm going to be transfered. I've only been here for one transfer and our mission president generally keeps people in areas for a while (I've been in the mission field over a month--crazy!). But I am scared that my companion, Elder Chardon is going to get transfered. I had thought that we got to be together for two transfers for sure so that he would finish training me, but I found out last week that they might actually move him. So I am really scared that they are going to make him a zone leader and leave me here. Regardless of how awesome my new companion is, that will mean that I am going to have to be the one that knows the area--I will have to be the one that knows people and how to get around town. And that is terrifying to me. I don't know if I can do that. But I know that God can do with me whatever he wants (Alma 26:12).

     The other night I was at a youth activity (there was a few nonmembers there, so it was a good opportunity). One of the kids names was Seth. It was really weird, because every time some would say his name I would turn around and wonder what was going on. It also really freaked me out because I haven't heard people say that name for a month and a half now. It was really weird.

     We had a really awesome lesson with Elieth last week. We were able to teach her part of the Plan of Salvation. We talked about how the fall of adam and eve was necessary and all part of God's plan for the happiness of his children (2 Nephi 2:23-25). She thought it was so awesome! It is so cool to be present for those times when people gain new understanding of the wonderful truths of the Gospel of Jesus Christ through the spirit of God. She wants to be baptized, but she has some concerns like quitting smoking, and she understands the gravity of the commitment being made at baptism (which is a good thing). We hope that as we meet with her more and she learns more of the truths of the Gospel, her desire will increase. She wants to quit smoking, she only needs to understand how much God will help her do so if she truly has the desire to. Thankfully, we have an awesome guy in our ward who went through very similar trials before he was baptized (just a year ago). He comes with us to most of our lessons with her. We were also able to speak with him to know what it is that we need to do to be able to help her through this.

     Church was so good yesterday. I felt the spirit so strong and felt so renewed and happy. I hope that this week I can bear strong testimony to people of the importance of church, so that they will come and experience it themselves.

Love,

     Elder Poulsen

A Tattoo of Jesus

      Yesterday I met a guy that had a beautiful tattoo of Jesus on his arm. Being a missionary is fun. I also had this crazy guy try to make me give him a ride on the back of my bike. He was really entertaining for a few minutes, but then he wouldn't let us leave and we had stuff we needed to do. That was frustrating. I don't have much time to email, but the work is very good here in Gloucester. We have two people now with baptismal dates: Phil, if he reads the Book of Mormon and knows that this is the right path to take, and Jesicca, assuming she can stop smoking and drinking in the next three weeks. I believe she can. Have I told you at all about her? She is really awesome. She was telling us all about how she is teaching her young children to pray and to always give thanks to God. She also told us about how she knows she loses her spiritual connection with God if she tells a lie. She also wants to convince her mom, Elieth, to be baptized the same day as her. (We have been teaching Elieth as well, but she has some concerns).

Keep the Faith. The Church is true. Jesus loves you.

Elder Poulsen