Hola Hola! This week was honestly one of the fastest weeks of my life. It really is kinda crazy how time seems to work differently out here in the mission. The days feel like weeks and the weeks feel like days. Anyways, it was a super productive week, both from a numbers standpoint and in terms of the miracles we witnessed (good week for numbers mainly because of the miracles lol).
It is still soooo hot. But one day this week, it rained and the temperature dropped to near 60 degrees (all the people outside were wearing winter jackets and such, haha). It seriously was the perfect missionary weather. We worked so hard and ended up finding 13 new people to teach, one who loves American football, so that is so awesome! It really was a miracle because it seemed that every person we found wanted to learn more about the Gospel of Jesus Christ and seem genuinely interested in us teaching them. While most people proclaim to be Catholic, most don't go to church and they feel like something is missing in their lives. It was a cool day, both literally and figuratively.
So I'm going to get into the crazy things that happened this week: 1. So we had divisions this week, which means that I was just with a different companion for a day, but man was it a crazy day. At one point we were just walking down the road when we say a guy just chillin on the street. We said buenas tardes, just like we usually do. Then he just threw a rock at us. It hit Elder Robinson in the face and I was pretty sure he was about to fight this guy, but we just laughed it off and kept on our way. Following that episode, we saw a bunch more crazy things but I am probably just going to keep that out of this email because I would consider it rated R lol. I'll just say that some of the things that you see here in Mexico are pretty crazy, to say the least.
2. I learned how to make banana ice cream with just bananas and milk. Super healthy and super super good!
3. So the butterflies are migrating this week, and there seriously were soooo many butterflies. It was actually so cool to witness. the sky was covered in butterflies, so much so that it looked kind of like a kaleidoscope. Super cool!!!
4. So this week we taught a lot of lessons. But one of the lessons we had was with a guy named Hector! He is a super awesome dude! We have given him all the lessons and his baptism date is this week, but he said that he was still waiting for an answer about the book of mormon and Joseph Smith. So the plan for our lesson with him was to read Enos in the Book of Mormon and talk about his story and how he received answers to his prayers. It was an awesome lesson and the spirit touched all of us about the importance of prayer. But what made this particular lesson so cool and special for me as because when talking with hector, the words that I felt that I needed to say to him, just came to me. Its hard to explain or describe, but the Spanish just seemed so easy! After our lesson we decided that we were just going to pray at that moment. I offered the prayer and the spirit that was in the room was indescribable! Hector received the answer he needed in that very moment! After that lesson, I remember walking home and I could not stop smiling. God is so good! This gospel is so good!
Alright, so that is the rundown for this past week! But today, I want to talk about the importance of ¨getting that daily bread¨. I encourage all of you to watch the following video on YouTube:
This is a talk that I love, it's super quick (I think its about 3 minutes) and it is about the importance of focusing on TODAY. This is one of the biggest things I have learned since becoming a missionary (and to be honest, I'm still learning how to be better at this), and this is to focus on this day, this moment, and not worry about the possibilities of the future. When I first got to Mexico, I was really struggling. Spanish was super hard, everything was new and I always thought, how on earth am I supposed to do this for two years. But I have learned, with time, that the best thing we can do each and everyday, is to focus on the opportunities that the day provide, instead of just focusing on the problems of that day. Life is so crazy, and sometimes we worry about or invest our energy on the things that have to be done in the coming days, or things out of our control, that we neglect to focus on the amazing good that we can do today. As talked about in the video, Elder Christofferson was presented with a huge problem in his life, and at first he just prayed for a miracle, for that problem to be solved. However, he learned the important lesson that, as in most times, we can't just simply rely on miracles for our problems or obstacles to be removed from our path. In fact, most of the time, all we can do is focus on the things we can accomplish in that day as we work through those problems or obstacles.
As always, I have some awesome scriptures that help my case:
Matthew 5:11
11 Give us this day our daily BREAD. Matthew 6:34 34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
Doctrine and Covenants 84:84 84 Therefore, let the morrow take thought for the things of itself. Each day is a gift from God. An opportunity for us to grow and learn. It is important for us to go and get that Daily bread and to make the most of it. This is kinda corny, but there is a line from Kung Fu Panda that I love and think about it regularly. The line goes as follows, ¨yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift.¨ Let us focus on the days that we have and focus on the things that we can control. God gives us trials so that we can grow and become more like him. I find comfort in these words found in The Doctrine and Covenants Chapter 121:7-9
7 And if thou shouldst be cast into the pit, or into the hands of murderers, and the sentence of death passed upon thee; if thou be cast into the deep; if the billowing surge conspire against thee; if fierce winds become thine enemy; if the heavens gather blackness, and all the elements combine to hedge up the way; and above all, if the very jaws of hell shall gape open the mouth wide after thee, know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good.
8 The Son of Man hath descended below them all. Art thou greater than he?
9 Therefore, hold on thy way, and the priesthood shall remain with thee; for their bounds are set, they cannot pass. Thy days are known, and thy years shall not be numbered less; therefore, fear not what man can do, for God shall be with you forever and ever.
I love you guys! Keep fighting the good fight, keep trusting, keep believing. Focus on the day, and go get that daily bread! Have an awesome week!!
Elder Poulsen
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