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

New Shark Earrings! It's the little things.

Throwback picture I just got from Swaggy B. This is Sister Smith 

and I with our shovels heading to service. We stopped by to pick up 

shovels from a member and were given salsa and Naked as well. 

This is what missionary work in Mesa looks like.

The founder of Gold Canyon Candle Company lives in our roommates' area. 

They invited us to help them with some service for her charity foundation. 

There was going to be a benefit so we helped stuff gift bags and such. 

I got to put together the last of the silent auction baskets and 

I was quite proud of my achievement!

I can be artistic when I want to be. 

This is KJ and JJ riding a shark.

 I want to get it on a t-shirt.

We all four helped at the Vista Peaks ward Pioneer Day party and 

picked up Coldstone with a gift card a member gave 

me a few months back on our way home.

One of Diva's pieces of art work she gave me.

We had a lesson with Diva at the Visitors' Center 

and the sky was beautiful.

We got to leave the mission boundaries to go to the sealing in Gilbert.

 I'm telling you, Gilbert is fancy. I just felt less humble driving over 

there. It was nice to see how the other half lives. Not that I'm even in 

the ghetto here in East Mesa. But somehow it is still more magical 

over there. Probably because they have grass. Anyway, we took a 

selfie to commemorate crossing the 60.

These are all the sisters who taught the woman being sealed 

and their companions in front of the Gilbert Temple.

If You Yell, “Robin’s Daughter,” at me, I Will Respond

This transfer has just been six weeks of ups and downs. This week was no exception! We woke up Thursday morning and had no water in our apartment. We called and woke up our ward mission leader's wife and asked if we could use her shower. She said we could, but said that her whole family had already showered so she didn't know how hot the water would be. We ran over there and the freezing cold water coupled with the fact that I had a 7:45 am meeting to get to deterred me from washing my hair. THANK YOU DRY SHAMPOO FOR BEING INVENTED. But I still feel like I looked disgusting the majority of the day. As it turned out, Sister Merrell had hot water in the upstairs shower, I was the only one that bathed in a stream of chilly water straight from the upper regions of the Canadian Tundra. We went on to have a stake service project cancelled and no water for the majority of the day. At least we had the Easter Pageant to go to that night to help brighten our day!

 Sunburns

 Easter Pageant Extravaganza!

The Easter Pageant was great this week. We went every night and had eventful things happen each day. I ran into so many people from my first area and it was wonderful. I will always love those people...and they still love me! It really helped cheer me up. Seeing different people every night was such a tender mercy. I ran into the Memorial Day Gun Family and they were so happy to see me. It made me glad, because the last night we saw them they were upset about something and I was a little sad that I left them on a bad night. We also saw Al Fox Carraway one night! I didn't approach her because I'm sure she gets tired of people doing that, but it was cool to see her in real life!  On Friday we went down and saved seats all day because we only do weekly planning on Friday afternoons anyway. We rescheduled some things to fill the morning and then did our studies and planning and lunch break on the temple grounds so we could have awesome seats for the show that night. We all got the worst sunburns though because we weren't quite ready for the full force summer sun to be out in April.  At this point in my life I'm already about 98% guaranteed I'll have skin cancer so I just embrace it. We did see the Larsen family one night as well and they recognized me right away because I look just like you, mom! I'm always taken slightly aback when people just shout at me, "ROBIN'S DAUGHTER!" I always respond though, so I guess it works.

Birthday Month started this week!!!!! Sister Moreton treated me to Smashburger to kick it off. When our food was brought to us the waiter said, "and I know which one is yours....I always recognize your order.  A cheeseburger with only cheddar cheese and an egg, and sweet potato Smashfries. I remember my regulars." So that was embarrassing. I only go like twice a month! I've really scaled it back since Dumas left!

 Kick off to birthday month at Smashburger!

At dinner the other night I saw a lady crying outside of the restaurant and I really felt like we needed to comfort her. We went out there and talked with her and gave her an Easter pass along card.  She is from Brazil and is sad because she is alone here in America.  She said there was nothing we could do for her to help so I offered her a hug and she said that would be great. My mission has turned me into a hugger. I literally hug every one that is female all the time.  I don't even know who I am anymore. At least hugs aren't awkward for me anymore! Look how much I've grown.

Sister Moreton has given me a new nickname that she is rather proud of; Scandala Amandala because I'm so scandalous. I hardly think I'm scandalous because I'm not on par with Li-Lo, Miley, or the Kardashians, but I guess by missionary standards I have a slightly elevated scandal level. I mean if we're talking about scandalous Amanda's, Amanda Bynes should take the cake for that one, not innocent sister missionary me. It did remind me of a nickname dad would make up for me though.

I was impressed during conference that I have truly been blessed with the truth on Earth and how much peace that brings. Nothing of the future should ever concern me or trouble me because everything will always be alright. I will always know how to make myself happy because I have been given the principles that lead to joy. Even in the troubling times that will inevitably arise I know that in the eternal scheme of things everything will be happy if I just do the simple things I've been asked to do. It's so simple and yet we all make it hard sometimes. I don't know why that hit me so hard, probably because I tend to worry too much about the things in the future I can't plan for or control, but it was a simple truth that I know but that was brought to my remembrance rather strongly this weekend.

Our mission has shrunk from 255 missionaries to about 200 and will stay around 200 for as long as possible. Now that the initial boom of missionaries has come and gone our mission has stabilized. As such, a lot of areas were added to or split up with transfers. Our wards were separated and added to two other areas (we actually suggested that because our area has so many snowbirds that the already slow work will slow even more in the next week and a half). Sister Merrell and I were so excited to find out we are being transferred! I'm headed to the Alta Mesa Stake to be companions with a sister named Sister Smith. I was also released as sister district leader because all sistrics were disbanded. Sister Smith has been out about 9 months and is a sister training leader so it will be an adjustment to go back to being junior companion, but it will be so good for me. I didn't realize how worn down I had become in this area until this week when I was looking at pictures of Sister Dumas and I in my first area and I realized I looked so happy and that I hadn't been that happy in a while. I have slowly died in this area and I'm ready for a fresh start and for the opportunity to only have to focus on me. I only have three transfers left and I want them to be the best of my mission! A lot of sisters were released from their leadership callings and many of us were placed with new or newer sister leaders, so I'm not surprised I was put with Sister Smith. I'm sure there is a lot we can learn from one another. I can't emphasize how excited I am. I really gave it my all in my current area and things just always seemed to fall apart shortly after we got them going and I don't know that I could have handled much more of that. Im sure when I look back on my mission I will be grateful for the hard lessons I learned in this area, but for now I'm happy to just be able to walk away and heal a little bit. I'm also moving back to the first apartment complex I lived in! The first shall be last, and the last shall be first because I'll probably die in my new area.

 The death of Sistrict 1085.

I look forward to telling you of the new adventures in my new area!

Love,

Sister Poppe

 

After a strenuous afternoon of weeding in the heat MP demanded that we 

come inside and take a break. She is working on her art skills so she wanted 

to see how we could draw. I insisted that I can't draw and she insisted that I try. 

This "Ghost Baby Alice" was born. Sister Merrell on the other hand is really good!

My French toast from no shower water morning. 

My 7:45 meeting was cancelled last minute. Thus I had

to make my own breakfast. They were delicious!

Sister Moreton bought me consolation Reese's Puffs on 

no water day to help ease my first world problem pain.

The granddaughter we are teaching went to the Easter Pageant with us 

and the family that introduced her to the church. It was so fun! 

I love those girls so much! In the first picture Laina Lou was 

"fixing my hair"

The finished product.

No water. Hot mess hair. No clean bowls. 

Reese's Puffs in a Mason Jar.