#Preachitgirl: Satan Doesn't Even Have Sinuses

Hello,

We went to Legacy on Monday (the assisted living home) and we finally shared a lesson with the people we have been talking to over the last few weeks. We ended up sharing the Word of Wisdom by chance (we were offered a beer by an old man). It is so great. Old people really want to share the gospel too. So the members that were there started helping and we heard them still talking about the gospel ten minutes later when we walked back by. It is so cute and inspiring. Really, they aren't too old to make life changes! Here are a few good quotes from the evening:

"There's too many womens around ya, Ed. Better be careful."-worker

"Nuns were the world's worst. They should all go to hell."-Ed

"I've had experience with the nuns too....Wacko!"-Ed...ten minutes later. Still on Nuns.

We had a lesson with Bambi this week that was so powerful. Her daughter-in-law couldn't get her printer to work to print off family names to take to the temple. She tried three different printers in some other homes and they never worked. During this process she called Bambi to ask if she wanted to come do baptisms with her for her first time and Bambi said she would love to. Immediately after she agreed the printer worked and she was able to print them off after over an hour of trying. We were all a little teary-eyed as Bambi told us that because of that she got to do the work for her mom in the temple that day and she thinks the printers didn't work because her mom wanted her to do the work and not her daughter-in-law to do it. She then went on to tell us that she finally found a job after months of looking and it is respectable and administrative--exactly what she was looking for. She accepted a calling as the assistant secretary in the Primary as well. She is an exceptional woman. I love her so much.

We showed up to teach the girl we are helping prepare for a mission and she had Sonic drinks waiting for us...at 9 am. I'm telling you, Mesa has its perks!

I remember being kind of mean and judgmental in high school toward the missionaries for being naive. I felt like they lingered too long on people that seemed hopeless and that they were wasting time with people who would never commit. I get it now though. I realized that I've done that my whole mission and in large part it is because you're truly blessed to love people the way the Savior does. He never turns his back on any of us, so why would we turn our backs on people that are progressing, even if it is ever so slightly? I repented for my thoughts and can empathize with them now for just hoping if they persist long enough people will feel the Spirit and change their lives.

I had the word key written down and I have no clue why. So something must have happened with a key this week that I don't remember.

So I've kind of had this fake sinus infection for two weeks. I haven't paid much attention to it because I know it's mainly just my allergies. The longer I'm in AZ the worse my allergies get. But last week I had a fever one day and I keep having head aches and it's annoying. I'm still not really letting it slow us down at all; I just want your sympathy, parents. I talked to the mission nurse (mainly to appease Sister Childs) and she confirmed that I'm already taking everything I need to take and there isn't much I can do unless it gets to the point that it's bad enough that I think a prescription will help (it isn't that bad yet). So just pray that my sinuses stop being the worst in America. I actually woke up the other day and was annoyed about it and was like, "why do I have the sinuses of Satan?" Then I realized Satan doesn't even have sinuses because he doesn't have a body and then I realized I'm still better than he is; even with the nasal cavities of a two year old.

We are borrowing a guitar from a member and using it all the time in teaching appointments to bring the spirit. We can sing a few hymns (and a little Cold Play and T-Swift---okay, tangent, my heart is softening to her and I don't understand it. I heard one of her new songs at crossfit the other day and I actually really liked it. I'm working on swallowing my pride and possibly embracing her. I did the same with Miley Cyrus before my mission so I guess it can work.). We have one recent convert with a nonmember wife that we have been working with that was really softened by our musical production the other night. She's always been kind, but she hugs us now and came to church on Sunday. USING YOUR TALENTS LEADS TO MIRACLES. Who knew?

Sister Childs is exactly the kind of companion I needed for my last transfer. She doesn't shy away from the fact that I'm going home and she finds the most constructive ways for me to talk about it. We were setting goals and she was like, "What do you need to work on for the real world? That should be your goal." It's true. I don't need to focus a ton of my energy on street contacting, etc. at this point. I can still improve in those areas, but I can work on skills that will benefit me as a missionary and not as a missionary too. So all transfer long she has made me tell her I love her because I really struggle with that. I was telling her that I need to get over my fear of emotions before I have kids so that my children aren't afraid to talk about their feelings like I am. So she makes me tell her I love her and now she's added in the stipulation that I have to tell her why I love her every day. It was so uncomfortable at first, but after a few weeks I am getting much better at it and it isn't as weird any more for me to talk about these things. It still isn't instinctual, but I don't feel as stupid or vulnerable when I do it anymore. As missionaries we do a lot of role playing and practice teaching. I've kind of fallen out of the habit the last few months. I did it a lot when I was training Sister Dawson and even more when I was with Sister Rasheed, but when I started having older companions in the mission it kind of fizzled. Well, Sister Childs and I have never practiced teaching once (with the exception of district meetings and zone training meetings). Out of the blue she said, "Sister. We need to do a role play. We're going to role play you sharing your feelings with a boy. Right now." I was like, "Where in the world did this come from?!?" She responded with, "You've only ever shared your feelings with a boy in writing. You need to get better at doing it in person. We're practicing. Go. I'll be a boy." And we did it. She is so insightful and real. She isn't like, "Don't think about home." She's like, "Think about home constructively. I'm going to help you. You already probably won't be awkward when you get home---well you won't be any more awkward than you were before your mission--but let's make sure you're not awkward when you get home." It's good for me. Except I realized today when we were shopping that I'm not sure I'm quite ready for pants. I think I'm going to wear dresses for a bit longer after I get home. It's weird that that is what will be awkward for me. I'm not worried about music--I love when we hear apostate music at restaurants and the mall and such. But I genuinely feel under dressed when I'm in pants. We went to the mall and I bought three dresses and a swimming suit. No pants. The dresses are all cute though and I'm excited to wear them (none of them are long enough for the mission...so I guess I am slightly scandalous).

Diva is doing great. She had her baptismal interview on Saturday and then we took her to a service so she could get ideas for hers. She loves us so much. She drew us the cutest drawings at the pioneer day activity on Friday. Her mom told me that she has been talking a lot lately about me leaving in a few weeks and how sad she is. So I told her that I'm moving back and it made her day. I'm so excited for her baptism this Saturday! Her family talked to the bishop on Sunday too about preparing for the temple. They're going to go through as soon as they can and I can't wait to go with them.

We got to attend a sealing at the Gilbert Temple on Friday and it was beautiful. I forgot how exquisite that temple is. Oh my, it was so beautiful. I sat in the wedding party waiting room off of the sealing room and just marveled at the beauty and the peaceful feelings and thoughts I was having.

President Jenkins sent the following to us in his email today as an indicator of our excellence:

"As you know, there are 21 missions in the North America Southwest Area. I receive some comparative monthly statistics for numbers of convert baptisms, converts advanced to the Melchizedek Priesthood, converts endowed, and prospective elders advanced to the Melchizedek Priesthood. As 'full-purpose' missionaries, you have a tremendous influence as you work with leaders and members in these statistical categories. You are to be complimented on your successful efforts and the results we are observing.

For example, in the month of June 2015, the AMM was #2 in the number of convert baptisms. 25 more converts were advanced to the Melchizedek Priesthood and 31 more converts were endowed in June 2015 than in June 2014. In both of those categories, we were the #1 mission in the Area----we had the highest increase of all 21 missions!! These are indicators that we are doing so much better in our retention efforts. We are getting people the necessary 'endure-to-the-end' ordinances along the path of membership---especially temple ordinances."

Pretty great, eh!

Love,

Sister Poppe