Pics from April 14, 2014

Sister Poulsen and Sister Clonts, April 14, 2014

Email from April 14, 2014

Que Tal!!! (What's up?) 

So this week was super great...This week we were teaching a family that we've been teaching for a few weeks now. It's the family with the dad who has a brain tumor. We invited them to church and we figured only the dad would come. But him and his WHOLE family came waltzing into church yesterday!!! Him, his wife, 3 sons and even his parents!!! The grandparents came!!! It was incredible. That night we went and taught them a lesson, it went super well and the dad even ACCEPTED baptism!!!!! The only problem is is that he wants to get baptized but he starts kemo therapy this Wednesday, so he's not sure if he will be feeling well enough to be baptized by the end of this month (which is the date that we gave him to prepare for) But the good knews is is that he wants to be baptized!!!! It's the first person on my mission to accept it!!! It was such a relief to here him say yes. 

Also, while we were teaching, we heard gun shots right outside on the street...and we had parked all the way at the end of the street. So when we got out of their house to go home it was kind of late and really dark. So imagine me, in a skirt and a huge bag, sprinting down the street so I wouldn't get shot xD Fun times! P.s. is was a pencil skirt so I couldn't just run like a normal person... I felt like a stupid fairy running on my tip toes xD 

Also, just a few days ago, my companion and I were at an apartment complex tracking around and one of the ladies we talked to said that there had been a shooting the night before and 2 people died. When we drove out of the complex we saw swat cars everywhere... That's a place that we go often so... it's a little scary to know that there was a shooting.. and the shooter got away... So, if you would, send me some prayers my way haha I'm sure I'll be fine but let me tell you, there are some interesting people that live in Sacramento. 

Thanks for keeping me updated on people! I'm sad I'm missing all of these weddings but I'm glad everyone is happy! Thanks for sending me emails and pics and packages. I got a letter from Coralie!!!! It was such a nice surprise! So I just wanted to say thanks for being such a good missionary mom and dad! It's so nice to hear updates from home and how things are going. It's nice to know people aren't forgetting about me too much :) 

Oh my goodness, one last thing. I LOVE the spanish culture. They are SO fun! They are all really bold and just out there. The other day a lady from our ward whose like, 72 years old called us to tell us she was back from her trip and she was ready to go out with the missionaries and work! But before she told us that she said that she was sick. She said 'you know how when you turn on a water faucet and it just runs and runs and runs? Well, that's what happened to me! I had diarrhea that just ran and ran and ran! It was crazy!' xD I really do love the people in the ward that I'm serving. They are all SO nice and SO sassy! I can't wait to introduce you to them some day :) 

Welp, I better start wrapping up so I can send off some pictures. thanks for all you do and Thanks for the support! Tell everyone back at home that I love them so much and I miss them like crazy. Take care and adios! Love you!

Love Hermana Poulsen 

Pics from April 21, 2014 below

Sister Clonts, Sister Poulsen, and Ward Member

Spanish Speaking Missionaries in the District

Sister Poulsen

April 21, 2014 email

To be honest, this week was really docile. We had a lot of meetings so not a lot happened. We're hoping to get the dad with the tumor (his name is Ramone) baptized this sunday. If he goes to church one more time he can do it. There was a complication and he didn't start radiation last wednesday so he's starting this wednesday. Hopefully everything goes well. 

I'm still with my same companion for the next 6 weeks. We were the only spanish sisters that didn't get transfered. So, i'm living with sister Scow for another 6 weeks which I'm really happy about!!! 

Anyways, I'll try writing you a letter this week because I do have a funny story about the 72 year old mexican lady in our ward (the water faucet one).   Anyways, I hope you guys have a great week! Keep up the great missionary work! I love you all! Take care and adios!

Love Hermana Poulsen 

Pics and message from 3-7-14 email

Sister Scow, 83 year old owner of the house Becca and her missionary companion live.  Blue milk from April Fools joke courtesy of Sister Clonts!

Two cute Missionaries...Hermana Clonts from AZ and Hermana Poulsen from MT

Hermana Poulsen and Hermana Clonts from AZ

Hermana Clonts and Hermana Poulsen

Hermana Poulsen squeezing through a gate as a shortcut

Hermana Clonts and Hermana Poulsen

All the Spanish speaking missionaries in the Sacramento Mission!

General conference was the bomb! I loved it so much! I can't even explain how great it was. So GREAT! And it was in english, SCORE! 

Okay so this week was April fools and my companion got me good... I woke up and went to the kitchen to get some cereal and I open the fridge only to find that my milk was BLUE! I was so confused.... I just stared at it actually convincing myself that I had bought blue milk or maybe Sister Scow bought blue vitamin milk or something. I just couldn't figure it out... Finally sister Clonts comes in and says 'April Fools!' I about died laughing. It was a good one! To get her back I stuffed all the extra twinkies in her pillow (they were still wrapped) so when she laid her head down to sleep it made a loud CRUNCH. It scared her so bad. I couldn't see what was happening because I sleep on the top bunk but I just here this huge crunch sound and then she screamed because it scared her xD It wasn't as good as the blue milk but it was all I had. Good times... 

I got your letter! I loved it! It was the first letter that I've gotten. No one has sent me letters yet. I love snail mail because it gives me something to read while I'm eating lunch or breakfast rather than trying to find out how to get through the honey maze again on the back of the cherrios box... It's nice to have something new to read.

To be honest, not much has happened this week. Missionary work always has it's ups and downs. But this week was so much better than last week. Also, conference was AMAZAZING!! 

Anyways, sorry this one is short, not much happened this week. I'll send some pics really quick. Thanks for all the love and support! I love you so much! Take care and adios! 

Love Hermana Poulsen 

Email and pics from 3/31/14

Email from 3/31/14

First my companion and I got food poisoning last sunday so that was great...We don't have very many dinner appointments because we have such a small ward and our fridge is completely empty by sunday night so sunday dinners are normally bread with peanut butter on it... 

Our ward is SO small, you wouldn't believe it. On a good day, about 60 people show up...maybe. But the pews are so small and they're always so empty. There's 8 missionaries for that ward... there really only needs to be one set because the ward is so so sooo small.  

We have 4 of our investigators tell us they didn't want to be taught. the first one did it through text. The second one wrote a note on their door saying they didn't want to be taught (as we were going to an appointment to teach them) The 3rd one just won't answer our calls or knocks on the door and the 4th one was the most devastating. My companion has been teaching them for 4 months and me for 3 weeks and I love this family with all my heart. They came to church on sunday and after sacrament meeting, they told us not to come to their house anymore and they didn't want to learn anymore. We were so sad.  We love this family so much and they just dropped us. I felt like they broke up with us... it was the worst feeling ever.  So, we ate all the Girl Scout cookies you sent in like, one day.  Sister Scow and Sister Clonts loved the thin mints! And I love the lemon and samos! So yummy! Thank you so much for them! 

anyways, last night we were still feeling down but before we went home we visited a less active member. Her life is a mess. literally, the most complicated life I've ever seen. She's so nice but her kids still live with her and they are the meanest people I've ever met! They trash her house, disrespect her and she's always working. It's so chaotic. But she was just so sad and literally told us that she didn't want to live anymore because her life is so miserable. After that appointment I just got in the car and wept because I didn't know what more I could do to help her...all I could think about was how much I wanted my mom. It's so hard to do missionary work because people don't understand what we do. People don't understand that we have these people that we love so much and when they tell us not to teach them anymore, it's like losing a family member because you never really get to see them again unless they really want you to come over. So, yesterday was hard. I'm just really glad that today is Pday, I don't think I could have made it another day without a break. 

On a brighter note, we taught a lesson to the family with the dad who has a brain tumor. He's home now and recovering really well but there's still a pretty high chance that he doesn't have much time to live. But we went to their house to teach a lesson. My comp and I didn't know what to teach so we just went in and asked what they had learned through this experience (like elder Bednars talk from GC you sent) And it was really good to hear! We taught about the holy ghost and a few other things I don't remember but the spirit was so strong. They agreed to pray to know what church was true and we're following up with them this week. After the lesson we got in our car and my comp just smiled really big at me and I said 'what?' she said 'Hermana, you spoke almost perfect spanish in there. You only made one mistake and you fixed it!' I was so surprised I had no idea. I didn't even really know what I was saying or how I was saying it. But At that point I knew that we were really teaching with the spirit. It was the best lesson we've had since I've been on my mission. 

Also, Saturday the 29th was my 2 month mark! only 16 more to go! 

Oh we also had two creeper guys hit on us... so weird. so flippen weird. I wonder what the punishment is in heaven for hitting on sister missionaries.... I will have strong words to share with those men some day... but for now, we can only smile and give them a mormon.org card... WITHOUT our number on it no matter how many times they ask for it. It aint happening buddy! 

I have a lot to tell you about the culture here, it's muy loco but I'll do that in a letter. I better send some pictures to you so I can be off on the rest of my Pday :) Tell everyone I say hola and I miss them so much! And keep up the great missionary work!!! There WILL be a temple in missoula someday and that day will be soon! Take care, Love you lots, Adios! 

Love Hermana Poulsen 

Usually Becca makes awesome pancakes but it looks like this one got a little out of control!

Hermana Poulsen and Sister Scow (83 year old woman Becca and her missionary companion live with in Sacramento).