Week 41

Dear Family & Friends,

 

I'm super pressed for time this week because I was transferred, and my bus to leave for Fortaleza leaves soon, so I have to do everything super fast. This week was a little disappointing because we had 4 baptisms lined up, but a whole bunch of stuff happened at the last minute so that they didn't come through.  I won't be here to see the baptisms next week - I'm super sad about that, but there will be lots of people to teach in my new area! (hopefully). I'll be going to a city called Maracanaú, which is a little closer to Fortaleza. I'm excited for a new transfer! I'm doing well with everything.  Tell everyone I love and miss them! 

love you! um abraço!

Elder Poulson

These are pictures from the Cedro, which is this big dam and a reservoir that was built a long time ago by slaves.. 

 

 a big rock that looks like a chicken 

Eating a snack with Eliane, one of our "moms" here

We got caught in the rain coming home the other night

Neide, our other "mom"

Week 40

Dear Family & Friends,

 

This week was another slow one....we had to go to Fortaleza on Monday, we came back Wednesday. Thursday, we had an unexpected visit from President Fusco. He, his wife, and daughters had come to Quixadá to see how we're doing, get us a few things we have been lacking in the new house, and most importantly, dedicate the city of Quixadá for the preaching of the gospel! It was a really cool day, President took us elders, plus the sisters to lunch, then we all drove up to a really high mountain outside the city. We walked around for a little bit, admiring the view, and then we all gathered and President Fusco offered the dedicatory prayer. It was a really cool experience. The Spirit was very strong there. 

Friday was the Brazil vs.Columbia game, so we all stayed in the house. It gets really loud during the games - people are lighting off firecrackers, yelling, and blasting their over sized stereos. So we just chill and try not to go crazy.  There are only a couple more games left, and all this madness will finally be over haha. Despite not being able to work too much during the week, we had a really good day of work on Saturday. There were a ton of new people that we met and started to teach. At one point, we were teaching a group of 11 or 12 people out on the sidewalk. It's really cool for me to see the progress I have made with speaking Portuguese. Anyway, I'm looking forward to seeing all of these new people progress and make positive changes in their lives!

thank you for all your thoughts and prayers!

um abraço,

Elder Poulson

Some scenery from the top of the mountain where we hiked with the mission President

a mall in Fortaleza all decked out for the cup

missionaries of Quixadá and President/Sister Fusco

me and Elder Padial, who met the grandparents Nelson while they were on their mission here in Brazil! he lives in the same house as me right now. 

 

Week 39

Dear Family & friends,

This week was also a little slow...there was a Brazil game on Monday, so we were confined to our house. We had to travel to Fortaleza on Tuesday, and we had a mission conference on Wednesday so we weren't able to do much work until Thursday and Friday.  On Saturday was ANOTHER Brazil game, so we had to stay home. Sunday was good, we had four baptisms, and the other missionaries in the city had 3, so there were a total of 7 baptisms in Quixadá.

We also hit a milestone in our sacrament meeting attendance on Sunday....50 people!!!!  That was a big thing for us and we are really excited about that. Anyway, sorry this email is so short, but as you can see, we spent several days doing nothing, so I'll spare y'all the details of how I organized my suitcases and what I bought at the store. Anyway, have an awesome week, and thank you so much for all your thoughts and prayers!

um abraço,
Elder Poulson

Week 38

Dear Family & Friends, 

Sorry I am sending this a day late, but we had to stay inside all day yesterday because Brazil was playing. That's what we have to do whenever there is a Brazil game, stay in the house. It's not very fun....I mean, I love studying the gospel, but 14 hours is a little much - haha!  After the game last night, a huge group of cars and motorcycles loaded with people drove past the hotel - we're still in the hotel, but we found a house this week and we're in the moving in process! - they were honking their horns, blaring music, people screaming...it was nuts! I saw a big old pickup truck pulling a trailer with a giant speaker blaring on it. I guess people here like soccer or something. 

This week was pretty slow because we were looking for a house like crazy - the hotel is getting a little pricey for the mission. I also had to go to Fortaleza with elder Marcum because he cut his finger when the glass door in our bathroom exploded on him. So, i didn't do much teaching this week, but we had our first baptism, Jorge. There is no chapel or baptismal font here, so we had the baptism at our hotel - it was different, but still cool. I would send pictures, but this particular computer isn't accepting my photo adapter. I'll try again next week. 

Com amor e um abraço,

Elder Poulson

Week 37

Dear Family & Friends,

This week was soooo great. We are basically just teaching the Restoration to everyone, because we are opening the area!  I'm loving it, it's so great. All of the people here want to talk with us because they have never seen missionaries before. We have run into a couple people who have already been baptized, or have at least gotten to know the church before in Fortaleza. They have run up to us with the most excited looks on their faces telling us how they have been praying so hard for the church to arrive in Quixada. It was so great to see those people have their prayers answered!

Sacrament meeting is in a house, because there are only about 15 members right now, and it will be a while until a chapel is built. This Sunday was a great meeting, we had about 6 investigators there, and they all liked it, felt the Spirit, and we will have baptisms next week! 

I'm loving it here, I am seeing the Lord's hand in His work almost every day, and I love serving Him and the people in this city. 

Love,

Elder Poulson

3 Nephi 9:14-18

Week 36

Dear Family & Friends,

This week was pretty different. We got to our area late Tuesday night. We had to take a charter bus out there, and it's about 2 and half hours. We are staying in a hotel until we find a house to live in. We worked in the new are for two days, and it is the coolest thing ever, because virtually no one has seen missionaries before, and everyone wants to talk to us. The two days we were there were pretty awesome, but on Friday, we had to come back to Fortaleza, and we've been here since then. We should hopefully be going back tomorrow. 

One of the coolest experiences I had last week, was when we started teaching this little group of people, 3 or 4, outside their house. As our lesson continued, more people started showing up to listen, it was so cool!  By the end of the lesson there were about 10 people there. Afterward, one of the women there offered to feed us dinner!  We were complete strangers to her and she wanted to feed us dinner. 

I'm loving it here!  I hope you all have a great week!

love,

Elder Poulson

Week 35

Dear Family & Friends,

Today I am being transferred. I am leaving the Castelão area and going to a place called Quixabá, which is about 3 hours away. My new companion is Elder Botelho. This is his very last transfer, so hopefully he'll have a lot of good stuff to teach me! So what I know so far about this area is that it only has 4 companionships, two of elders and two of sisters. My companion is the district leader. I don't think it's even a zone. That means that the church isn't too well known there, and that means a lot of people for us to talk to and teach! We'll be leaving by bus here this afternoon. 

This past week was a pretty crazy one. We spent all of Wednesday in the hospital for my old companion, Elder Oliveira. Literally all day. We arrived at the hospital at 3 o'clock, and got home at 11. One of the longest days of my life haha. Thursday was interviews with the mission president and training at the mission office, and that took up most of the day. Then when we all went to leave, the buses had all gone on strike, so we couldn't go home! The mission president had to taxi us all to our houses with his car, so we got home a little late. I got sick on Friday, nothing too serious, fever and a few other things that don't need to be mentioned but it's all good now. Saturday, we were finally able to move!  I found out about the transfer yesterday, so that means I just got to pack my bags twice in 24 hours. Our week last week was pretty slow for teaching and proselyting, so I'm excited to get to work this week! I wanted to send some pictures but I left my thing that puts pictures on the computer in my suitcase, so it will have to wait until next week. But thank you for your thoughts and prayers! 

Um abraço,

Elder Poulson

Alma 7:10-11