¡Ilumina el Mundo! Dallin Poulson 11/28/2016

Hi friends and family! Hope you all had a great week!

This week we moved houses! It was nice, I wont lie! The old house was destroyed and smelled bad haha. When we cleaned it out I set a box of old ruined Liahonas out by the trash on the street and within 5 minutes someone had taken it! Cool, maybe someone will maybe read them! 

We helped the Stake Patriarch put up part of a ceiling in his kitchen this week. I got to use an electric hand saw. First time in the mission! I think I really like construction service projects, and it looks like I might get more opportunities soon. 

A member invited us to lunch one day to eat IGUANA! It apparently had been cooking all morning because it is a tough meat. But honestly, it tasted like chicken haha. Later she said that it is actually illegal to sell iguana! So that was the first and last time I'll do that! 

This week we found 3 inactive families by contacting! It was pretty awesome! They all received us and want to start coming to church. One was a pretty cool story. We were walking home at the end of the day and it was about 8:30pm and on the way i just walked up the a house and hollered! Welp, what do you know, they were an inactive family! It was pretty cool because it was the only house that we contacted on the way home. We had a great spiritual message and it was great. We are actually going to meet with them tonight.

We taught a pretty fun lesson to a man named Rafael Pineda. He immediately accepted the Book of Mormon and kinda got excited! He didn't quite understand that the Book of Mormon means that our church is the only true one though. He whipped out a notebook full of all his questions and ideas of why the churches are wrong and excitedly told us that all they have to do is accept the Book of Mormon! And we can have the unity of faith! It was honestly fun to watch him get all worked up! We are meeting with him soon, hopefully to help him understand a bit more. He is awesome. 

We had a really good week this week. It rained a ton almost all week but we have rubber boots so that didn't stop us! We had an investigator come to church too!  We have a lot to work on, but ya know, just one step at a time! 

The church released their new Christmas initiative recently!

A really nice video and plan for the month of December to celebrate christmas. I recommend looking it up! christmas.mormon.org

Well have a happy week everyone! 

Heres some pics! Some are from my last area!

https://goo.gl/photos/u3KxYNPY3oHiGhVb8

Dia De Gracias Homies Weston Poulson 11/28/2016

Well well well, we meet again. This week was aight. Thanksgiving was a little rough, elder Foster had a migraine the day before and then all through Thanksgiving so I just had a good conversation with my lamp. BUT the Tatro family being as awesome as they are brought me a feast so I did have Thanksgiving!! yahoo! anyways, I don't really know what else happened.

I got to speak on Sunday and that was fun! It's funny, I get ready, got my bullet points all ready then every time I go up to speak and I just go up and never look at them! Spirit of God I'd say! Pretty cool though! I don't really know what I spoke on. Holy Ghost, Gifts of the Spirit and Repentance lol it was good!!!

I don't know though, nothing too outstanding this week! I did get to play some volleyball at Lands End and it was fun! This branch gets competitive haha everytime I'd do something they would all say something about some rule I was like chill just play haha it was funny they were all about their rules, it made it boring but I get it. Also did our weekly service and got pretty creative on how to empty all the garbagio out the door! It was gun. Anyways, yeah.

This week was little slow but also fast. It happens but the point is that it was GOOD! My study of the book of mormon has been awesome and I am currently in the war chapters and honestly I love em. Captain Moroni man.. he's a boss. Just read when he throws down on zarahemnah and his soldier scalps him haha so sweet! i think when I'm in heaven that captain Moroni and James the Mormon should have a rap battle.

But going along with my study I've noticed that my testimony is strengthened in one way or another. It's a slight improvement but it's improvement nonetheless. It's not the speed or rate of improvement that counts it's just the fact that we improve that counts and that's what I love about all of this! We can just wake up one day and be fully converted to the gospel at all time in all places, it forces us to be patient.

Anyways, I had a good week! Love and miss you all! Peace!

~Elder Poulson The Younger

Heres some pics and vids from this week and some from last. Forgot to mention I went on exchanges with elder Su'a he's from california. He's already freezing haha I love it. HOLD IT DOWN!

Wayamaga Dallin Poulson 11/21/2016

HEEY!

Hey there everyone, hope you all had a great week!

So on Wednesday we had transfers and I got to my new area here in Puerto Cortes! 

The best part is that we had to do some office work up here so I was able to drive the new 2016 Mitsubishi L200 out and drop off all of my stuff and myself right at my new house! I got to skip all the bus business! haha I loved the office and everything but man, i am totally ready to hit the ground running again! 

It has been raining a TON here! So much that I got a bit of a cold from my cold little feet on the second day. I went and bought rain boots and we proselyte in those now! My companion is Elder Herrera from Guatemala (my third guatemalan companion!) He is super awesome! I lucked out and he is super obedient and we have a lot of plans for this area. His last companion finished his mission last change and lets just say there wasn't a bunch of motivation to work those last couple of weeks. SO, we have been contacting people all week! It's been really good. We have found several new people and are enjoying ourselves. I feel really good about this area and companion! It's gonna rock!

This week we did several service projects. One day we wheel barreled a bunch of pieces of cement to somebodies backyard that flooded and they wanted to fill it up with the pieces (I am not totally sure why, but hey, we did it anyway!) Later that day before leaving the house, I asked during our prayer for another opportunity to serve someone during the day. We found a family that was moving in from Tegucigalpa and helped them move their couches and fridge and stuff to the second floor of their house! It was cool to have my prayer answered like that. 

Something cool about this area is that there is another language! It is called Garifuna and it is spoken by some costal tribes. I am looking for a book to try and learn a bit! I think it would be super cool! (my email title is Garfuna for Iguana!)

We had some great lessons this week and it was just a good week! 

I want to share something that our president shared with us this week!

“Be strong. Live the gospel faithfully even if others around you don’t live it at all. . . “with … steadfastness in Christ, … a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men.” In courageously pursuing such a course, you will forge unshakable faith, you will find safety against ill winds that blow, even shafts in the whirlwind, and you will feel the rock-like strength of our Redeemer, upon whom if you build your unflagging discipleship, you cannot fall.” 

It is a super good quote! I am trying to apply it into my life. 

Sorry I couldn't reply too much again. Ran out of time cause we are moving houses soon. 

Have a happy week everyone!

photos!

https://goo.gl/photos/j1biy5QK6vEP25Tz7

Clapped a Raccoon Weston Poulson 11/21/2016

So this week was full off migraines and meetings haha GOOD WEEK THOUGH!

Didn't get a whole lot of teaching in but we did get in with a really less active member who actually might not be a member so idk about that but it was a great lesson and man am I so grateful to have Elder Foster as my companion, that man is awesome!!! haha He knows literally the answer to any question, deep doctorin or whatever it doesn't matter haha.

So I forgot my camera too so yall are just going to have to deal with it haha I HIT A RACCOON THOUGH! First time I've ever hit something and it was kinda funny. Mom stop reading here and skip ahead but we were driving out in the country on a country road and this huge raccoon thought it could outrun the Corolla... mistake. on the real though, I tried to stop but it got clapped haha that's for stealing all my cats food when I was a kid though!!!! haha Good Time.

Seriously I can't remember much else but this week is Thanksgiving and I've had gratitude be the focus of all my emails lately so this is going to be different this week! In Alma 14 we read about Alma and Amulek and how they are cast into prison. One of my favorite stories, go read it cause I have no time to make this legit and official but I want you to notice how the miracle of the prison walls tombling was wraught. study it. Then when you think you've found it go to Moroni 7 for your answer. I beleive ether 12 as well has one tha'ts better but in Moroni 7:35-37 it talks about how miracles are wrought and how they are still happening today. I love this and I love the scriptures and my testimony grows every day. My heart is filled with gratitude for all my past trials and to have been able to grow from them and also to have grown up in the gospel with my family. I love my family and I love my Heavenly Father and brother Jesus Christ in his name I leave this amen.

Love and miss you all! but I'm going to go play some basketball so PEACE!

~Elder Weston Poulson

La Brigada Medica Dallin Poulson 11/12/2016

OOOOiiiii

Hey there! This week was awesome. I can't remember everything but something super cool was that I got the opportunity to spend almost two days helping set up and translate at a Medical Brigade that they are doing here in San Pedro Sula. A bunch of Dentists and Doctors (mostly from Utah) came down and they set up a very impressive clinic here in a stake center. The whole thing is to help future missionaries come and get their dental work and medical stuff done to be able to send in their papers. The doctors pay their own way and everything! Almost $3,000 each! They work for a good 12 hours a day most days. By the end of it they help about 700 future missionaries from Honduras. They go to two central american countries a year. I think the website is smilesforcentralamerica.com 

Anyway, we helped set it up on Monday and it took a long time! Today they called us and asked us to help translate for the doctors!

I got to help with the oral surgery part and help while they took out wisdom teeth! Elder Elmer FAINTED! It was kinda funny but it freaked out some of the nervous kids haha It was honestly such a cool experience.I got to help a bunch of different doctors and different things.  Worth sacrificing a PDAY thats for sure. 

Due to that i don't have much time to write. But I want to share something that I noticed. Service really is the reason we are here. I have never seen so many working people that were so happy! All of these people were sacrificing their time and money to help others and it was just such a beautiful thing to see and be a part of. It was great! 

OH YEAH! I forgot! I am getting transferred!!!! I am going to the BEACH! It is called Puerto Cortés, a port for Honduras! It's pretty hot there but I  think it's going to be so cool! So I wont be writing until the NEXT Monday, like the 21st of November!

Welp, keep on being the best everyone! 

Adiooooos.

I don't have my camera... so no pics: (But just know I am smiling! 

Dallin

Portunol Weston Poujson 11/12/2016

Once again, I had no idea what to caption this email so I thought I'd just caption it with this haha so in Uruguay they have people who speak Spanish and Portuguese and they call it portunol. kinda like how we call spanish and english spanglish. 

Anyways, this week was alright! My companion ran out of migraine medication so i spent a couple days bottled up in the apartment. Something cool came of it though, I decided to go out and read our Pursuit of Happiness out on our porch thing and get some fresh air. well, I read it all haha I was on like page 58 from Milwaukee then binge read the rest in a couple hours haha its a great book though!

This week I was able to do a lot of studies and what I'm doing this time through the Book of Mormon is paying more attention to people and the story. i find that it has helped me to be able to connect more with whose writing, so I suggest it!

I started a book of gratitude a couple weeks ago and i love it. Made a goal for this month to write ten things daily I'm grateful for (typically from the day before) at the beginning of my studies and I love it! Almost at 300 and it's great!

But yeah, we didn't get out to teach much but Sunday Elder Foster was feeling better so before church we went out and tracted for a bit and taught a few lessons! It was good to get out and get teaching again, no return appointments though! However Sunday evening we noticed like 15 people out on the courts so we stopped by to play with them! It's always funny to cross someone or hit a three in a shirt and tie. Haha it was fun and we talked to James and Mario. Coolest dudes ever. Mario is from Jamaica and has been here for 2 years. HE'S A RAW ATHLETE! Picked up a basketball for the first time two years ago and can ball! Pretty cool. He's not like a Jamaican you see on the Olympics either, he's like linebacker size haha he lifted a ton in Jamaica. Anyways, we tried to exchange numbers but we never have service and he didn't know his number but he has ours! so hopefully we'll get to play ball with them soon and maybe get them to church.

But yeah, that was my week! Wise words from Wes this week is going along with my B of M study lately and also gratitude. When we read the story of Abinadi, he was given the opportunity to take everything back that he said, or be put to death by fire. He wouldn't and he finished his words. This is a great story to read and I highly encourage you all to read it. I believe it's in like Mosiah 16 or 17 but after i read it I was just filled with even more gratitude. I'm grateful for abinadi and for the testimony of the ten commandments that he sealed with his blood. I'm grateful to have that in the B of M and so I want ya'll to find a story or someone your grateful for in the B of M! Study it! It's FUN! haha I know that sounds weird but one of the fruits of the spirit is joy so take my word for it!

Ya'll have a great week! You know I will! Have a Happy Day!

~Elder Weston Poulson

​

Dallin: Hey I did a gratitude thing too! One day during my personal study I was a bit bored and I decided to list off all of my possessions on the mission. Over 350! Blew my mind! Another time I listed off about 100 blessings that i have received and it was pretty easy. Gratitude is cool man. Good email and dope pictures. 

I just picture you doing that Uncle Drew stuff to the guys as you hoop with them bro! Bummer about having to stay in the apartment. Glad you are finding ways to be productive though! (Buy a ukulele :D ) have a good week man!!

Hakuna Matata Dallin Poulson 11/5/2016

Hey Everyone! As I sit here, trying to think of what happened this week, my mind is blank! I usually bring my journal to remind me but I forgot it today. So I might just share some thoughts and stuff!

This week I had a couple of dreams. (No, i am not going to go all hippy on ya!) Some dreams of being at home after the mission. One even involved riding a motorcycle and all that jazz. Talk about baggy/trunky! But actually, quite the opposite! After waking up the second time I had a dream like that and reflecting on it throughout the day I realized that it's going to be really hard to go home! This has become my life for the time being, and the fact that I can't really do it again makes me want to stay here and take advantage of it. The mission's not easy, or even that fun most the time, but it's very worth it. Recently I have gained a lot more of an appreciation for what it is that I am doing out here. Now, friends and family, don't think that I am not excited for the day that we will see each other again! I am just saying that I'm grateful that I have this time right now and then the rest of my life to be with you guys! 

This week we taught several investigators and it went pretty good for the most part. Some new and some older investigators. We have been finding some new parts of our area. One day we finally got into a closed residential but the guards told us that we can't knock on any doors. So we just took all the hand out cards and put something like ´´free yardwork 9898-9889 -the missionaries´´ on them and left them on EVERY DOOR. About 70 houses I think! We did get to know the guards a bit better so maybe some day we'll be able to knock some doors! 

On Sunday we went to teach a man named Max that usually we can't find in his house. I felt like we should go to his house first and he showed up just as we got there. We had a good lesson with him!

Later, we saw a man washing his car and I asked where the rags were. He was confused and I grabbed one and we washed his car with him. He was really cool and brings out his girlfriend and told her to go buy us some baleadas! He asked what we wanted and I mentioned that I can't eat baleadas right now but my companion could eat mine, he said, ''oh what can you eat?'' I said my diet is basically eggs, meat, and veggies. He told his girlfriend, ''you heard him, go buy him that!'' And she did! It was pretty cool!

Today we got down and dirty on PDay and went to the flea markets. We rode a rapidito (little van full of 20 people) to the center and bought some stuff. It was fun! I got a pretty cool hawaiian shirt for 60 cents. 

Aaaand for the rest of Pday we made origami in the office! Good times. Anyways, keep being awesome! Keep on keeping on!

-Elder Poulson

PICS:

sorry about the lack of pictures, my camera's screen broke and it's difficult to use haha

https://goo.gl/photos/kfLEVJcowRHKJPkm9

ps. I feel a lot better this week. Still on the diet thing but i can now eat fruit a little bit so thats nice!