Ask, "What can I learn from this?"

Hi everyone!

Wow this week was amazing! So much happened! First off, we had Zone
Conference again and as always it was one of the most spiritual
meetings ever ☺️ We talked a lot about the power of prayer and I've
definitely noticed a difference in my prayers this week. Rather than
just listing a lot of things when you pray, take time to think about
what you're praying for and express how you really feel about that
situation. Then once you've finished praying, don't just stand up and
get to work, take time to think and listen for the spirit and the
answers Heavenly Father is giving you. It's taken some time, but I can
now say I enjoy praying and listening for the spirit that comes with
it.

On Saturday we had the opportunity to hear from the apostle Elder
Ronald A. Rasband! And I got to shake his hand! Aah! It was amazing to
hear an apostle speak to us about how we can improve ourselves as
missionaries and allow our faith to grow. One thing he focused on was
the fact that you're where you are and with the people you're with for
a reason. When things are bad, don't ask, "Heavenly Father why am I in
this situation?" Instead ask, "Heavenly Father what do you want me to
learn from this?" That's so true in life! We all have challenges and
hard times, but we can all agree that we come out of those hard times
stronger than we were before. Some other general authorities came and
spoke too! It was an amazing opportunity that not many people have!
I'm so grateful for it!

Today is the 20th which means I entered the MTC 8 months ago. Wow. Has
it really been 8 months?! Time is going by so fast! You can learn so
much in just a few months it's CRAZY!!

I'm so happy I have the opportunity to be a missionary and be a part
of the Lord's work. I've seen God's hand in people's lives and feel
the love He has for everyone. He loves all of us so much we can't
fathom it! Not only does He love you but I do too! You're all amazing
and I'm so glad you're a part of my life.

Be safe! You're amazing! Keep praying and being awesome! You're really
good at it!

Love,
Sister Poulton
Texas Fort Worth Mission

Changes! Week of March 13, 2017

Hello Lovely People!

Lots of great things have happened this week! To start off, I have a
new companion! Her name is Sister Giles (pronounced Jiles) and she's
from Saratoga Springs, UT. She's super awesome and really fun to work
with!

Something cool is happening this week! ONE OF THE TWELVE APOSTLES IS
COMING TO THE MISSION!!!! WOOHOO!! Elder Ronald A. Rasband is coming
to talk to the missionaries on how we can improve the work and be the
best missionaries we can be! I'm beyond excited! It's not very often
you get to be in the same room as an apostle! It's going to be so
cool!!

In other news we set a baptism date with Raymond for March 25th!!!
Yay! We're so proud of how far he's come and the baptism he's going to
have. This area hasn't had many baptisms until recently so we're so
happy the work is progressing.

Speaking of baptisms, about a month or so ago someone from missionary
headquarters came and had a meeting with all the Zone Leaders and STLs
and taught a new way to plan. Then the Zone Leaders showed us and it's
made a HUGE difference in the mission! There's been an enormous
increase on the number of baptisms in this mission. We had another
zone meeting this week and realized two companionships have a baptism
date set for April 15th. After looking at the numbers and thinking
about how much everyone's improved, we all made it a goal that EVERY
companionship in the Lewisville zone will have a baptism on April
15th. If someone would've said that in a meeting a month ago I
would've said, "ARE YOU CRAZY???" But after seeing the results of this
inspired planning method and the increase of baptisms, I really
believe we can accomplish this goal. With the Lord's help anything is
possible. I have faith and I'm DETERMINED to have a baptism on April
15th!

Well that's all that's happened this week! You're all amazing and I
wouldn't be who I am today without any of you! Lots of love!

"You have not failed until you quit trying."  ~Gordon B. Hinckley

Sister Poulton
Texas Fort Worth Mission

Update! Week of 3/6/2017

Hello Everyone!

To start off, we have some super exciting news! RAYMOND'S GOING TO BE
BAPTIZED!!!! We're still trying to figure out a date because of some
things that came up but we're SUPER excited!!! He's come such a long
way and we're so proud of him!

Something else really cool happened! We were looking through our area
book and found a man named David and went to go see him. He was so
excited to see us! He kept telling us how he has so much respect for
missionaries and loves the people of our church, he even asked us for
a Book of Mormon! What?!! When does that happen?! Uh, NEVER!!! He was
so nice! We're totally going back!

On a more sad note, transfers are this Wednesday and Sister Thomson is
leaving 😢 We've both learned so much from each other and I've loved
serving with her. I know she's going to do great things!

Again so many people to email, so little time. I love you all so much!
Keep being amazing and remember: you're a loved child of God.

Pictures/Videos:
1. Selfie!
2. SO MUCH BANANA BREAD!!!
3. It was a really long day.

Deep in the Heart of Texas - Week 2/27/2017

Hello Lovely People!

First off, you're all amazing! You've all played a big role in my life
and I wouldn't be the person I am today if you weren't a part of it!

Okay now onto this past week! Good news! Raymond came to church again!
Yay! Yay! Yay! He really enjoyed it and made some friends in the Ward!
Earlier this week we talked to him about baptism, and he said he'd
think and pray about it. Oh my gosh! That is HUGE!!! He's come such a
long way! We're really hoping he'll gain that desire to follow the
example of Jesus Christ and be baptized.

We saw Aidan and his family this week! We haven't seen them for a few
weeks because they were all sick. This week we had a really good
discussion about the atonement. The spirit was really strong and you
could tell they all felt it. I love talking about the atonement! (As
you all know. I talk about it in most of my emails 😉)

Crazy to think I've already been out on my mission for 7 months! Time
goes by so fast! It feels like yesterday and yet it feels like a year
ago I was in the MTC freaking out about being a missionary! What the
heck happened?

Well it's a short email this week, but I mean every word! You're all
amazing! I can feel the power from your prayers all the time! Thank
you for all the love and support! I love all of you SO MUCH!

"Those who move forward with a happy spirit will find that things will
always work out."
~Gordon B. Hinckley

Love,
Sister Poulton
Texas Fort Worth Mission

Pictures!
1. Exchange in The Shire!
2. Jk it was in Denton.
3. Love the welcome mat.
4. Texas name-tag. I'm official ☺️

💗❤️💕 Week! Week of 2/20/2017

Hi Everyone!

I hope y'all had a great week and an awesome Valentine's Day! We brought some really fancy decorated cookies to members of the Ward and ran away before they saw who brought it! It was so much fun!

Now onto the people! We've been teaching a man named Raymond for a while but it didn't seem like he would progress until recently. He told us he's been thinking about going to church but he's always been afraid to. We've been praying so much for him to come!Guess what? He did! He came to sacrament yesterday! WOOHOO!! See? The Lord really does bless you for your efforts!

More good news! We're teaching a family! Yay! Yay! Yay! They're named the Valsuela family and they were a referral from their a neighbor. Last week we read through the introduction to the Book of Mormon and the mother said it sounds important and she wants to read it! We're so excited to continue teaching them!

I'm really happy to be in Flower Mound at this time and share my testimony with God's children here! Being a missionary's the BEST!!

Love,
Sister Poulton
Texas Fort Worth Mission

Pictures!
1. Fancy Valentine's cookies!
2. Went to the temple with recent converts David and Tracy!
3. Looks like Walmart's been watching Studio C 😂

Howdy from Texas! Week of 2/13/2017

Hi Everyone!
Hope y'all had a great week! Things are great here in Flower Mound! Aidan said he's going to think and pray about a baptism date! Yay! We really hope he will! He's a great kid! He told us he always feels the spirit when he prays and during our lessons. Please pray for him! :)
So we all know Valentine's Day is coming up, and if you know me you know it's not my favorite holiday. But this year since the spirit's so strong (and when you're a missionary your mind relates everything it can back to the gospel) I've been thinking about how much God loves all of us. It's really given me a better perspective and more meaning to Valentine's Day. It's not just about flowers and chocolates, Heavenly Father loves us too! ❤️💗
You're in my prayers! Sorry this email was kind of lame but have a great week! Ether 12:27 is real!
Love you!

Sister Poulton
Texas Fort Worth Mission

1 & 2- Lewisville Zone!
3- The Plan of Happiness :)
4- Sisters bike too and it's awesome!!

Update Time! Week of 2/6/2017

Hello Everyone!

Hope everyone's doing well! Here's a cool story to start off! Friday
morning we were going to an appointment with scheduled with a lady
named Amber. We went over and two of her friends and their kids were
there too. It was really loud with all the kids running around so we
thought, "Oh wow the spirit isn't here right now so maybe we'll give
her a Book of Mormon and a pamphlet then set up an appointment to come
back later." So we sat on the couch in the living room and her friends
wanted to listen too! They had their kids go to another room while
they listened! We had a full lesson and it was AWESOME!! They were all
really engaged, asking great questions, and wanted to learn more! We
set a return appointment when it was over! It was so great! Definitely
an answer to some of our prayers!

We weren't able to meet with Aidan this week because he's really sick.
We hope he feels better soon.

We had Zone Conference this week and as usual it was amazing! A few
weeks ago our mission president told us to study about Ammon in the
Book of Mormon and focus on what made him a great missionary. A few
days before Zone Conference he asked us to write a talk on why Ammon
was a great missionary and how our life has changed since studying
Ammon. I loved doing this exercise. What I learned the most was that
he made the atonement a regular part of his life. He started out as
someone in a gang trying to destroy the church, then he changed his
life around! He repented and made the repentance process a priority!
A lot of times we think of repentance as something scary, but really
repentance just means change. You change your ways in order to become
more like Christ. Ammon was constantly doing that and that's what I'm
striving to do. I loved studying about him.

Well that's how this week went! I love all of you and pray for you all
the time! ❤️

Pictures/Videos
1: the mission
2-3: What can I say? We love chalk!

Flower Mound - Week of 1/30/2017

Hello Everyone!

Oh my gosh I love my new area! The houses are beautiful, the people
are nice, and it's a city area! Love it!

 My companion's name is Sister Thomson and she's a sweetheart! We
actually came out to the mission at the same time which doesn't happen
very often. We've been having lots of fun together :)

Wow I have a lot more respect for the missionaries who are in charge
of stakes. Two wards is EXHAUSTING. Yet it's really cool. You see two
different ways things are done which is really interesting.

I haven't met all of the investigators here yet but I can tell you
about the ones I have met! There are two teenagers named Alyssa and
Sam who are brother and sister. Their parents joined the church in
August and it's really helped their family. Their kids haven't joined
yet but they're opening up to the lessons more now which is really
great. They come to church sometimes and it seems like they've been
progressing a lot lately!
We're also teaching a part member family (not every family member has
been baptized) named the Hodges. Sister Hodges is a member of the
church but her husband Chuck and son Aiden aren't. Aiden seems more
interested in taking the lessons than Chuck but hopefully we'll change
that ;)

Flower Mound is great! I'm really excited to teach the people here and
share my testimony with them! I know the Lord put me in Flower Mound
for a reason and I'm really excited to fulfill my purpose here!

Sister Poulton
Texas Fort Worth Mission

Pictures!
1. New comp!
2-3 Sidewalk chalk: fun for kids AND missionary work!