Feb. 25, 2013

Last week we had exchanges with the District Leader on Tuesday.  I went to their house and go to see a little more of the district.  We did some tracting then went to an appointment where we taught a gut the Word of Wisdom.  He liked the things we taught but he couldn't figure out why weed was bad if it's legal now.  We talked to him about it on a spiritual level and how it keeps us away from Heavenly Father.  We told him to pray about it and if he receives the answer that it is bad for you then he wouldn't use it anymore.

I also had exchanges with the Zone Leaders.  I went with Elder Metz.  We taught a guy and he is ready to be baptized but he's sacred to leave his church.  He asked for a blessing.  I anointed him and Elder Metz sealed it and gave him a blessing.

My companion and I gave a blessing to someone who is having knee surgery.  He is less active and wants to come back to church and his girlfriend wants to take the lessons.  My companion is patient.  He is a big city guy.  He can't walk by a mirror without looking at himself for 5 minutes.  Some missionaries say that him and I are polar opposites but we manage.

We had zone conference and was able to meet other missionaries.  They had a break out part session of conference, you were able to ask the mission president any questions that you had.  One of the question Pres. Greer was going to use me as an example but he forgot my name which was pretty funny.  We just laughed it off.

Last week p-day was a blast.  Angle's Rest wasn't too bad of a hike, not like Timpanogos.  It was very pretty and when we got to the top you could see for a long way.  It did take a while to get there but it was well worth it.

The baptism went really well.  He had me baptize him!  The night before I kept waking up and I would run through it in my head a couple of times before I could go back to sleep.

We still have yet to get with the part-member family.  The ward is trying really hard to get with them.

I do cover 2 ward and we go to both every Sunday.  We rotate between ward councils though.  I get 6-7 hours of church each week.

I think I will get to do some carpentry for a guy that we will begin teaching.  He already knows about the church.

I heard Saturday that my mission will be split.  I'm sure that will happen when we get a new mission president.  I have a feeling that I won't get to see the east side of the Kennewick Mission.  I think I will end up in the Vancouver Mission.

Love,
Elder Poling

Feb. 19, 2013

I've had a pretty good week.

Tell Richard that he needs to go to EFY.  It's a great experience.  It's something I wish I would've been able to do earlier.  It teaches you a lot.

Things with the investigator are going really well.  He mentioned that he might want me to do the baptism.  He's so excited, it's crazy.  Sunday we found new investigators.  They are a husband and wife.  The husband seems promising but not sure about the wife.  The part member family doesn't answer the phone when we call so it hard to get with them.

Sounds like the weather is pretty nice.  It was real nice here today, then out the know where it just started raining hard.  People think that above 75 is hot.  I think they should spend a summer in Oklahoma then see if they complain about the heat again.

Yesterday was P-day.  The Zone went on a hike called Angle's Rest in Oregon.  It was very clear and great weather.  The hike was very pretty.

I had splits with the Zone Leaders and District Leaders this week.  I'll tell you more about that in the letter I wrote earlier today.

I love and miss you.

Elder Poling

Feb. 11, 2013

I've had a pretty good week.  The lessons with our investigator are going great.  He is so ready to be baptized.  We moved his baptism to the 24th because the Bishop wants to be there, we taught him the law of tithing this morning.  We have another investigator who wants to be baptized but I think she has some mental disorder.  We have another investigator that has been through several missionaries.  We are slowly working with her.  My companion and I are hoping to find more people to teach.  We are having a special fast tomorrow to help find people to teach.

We moved out of our attic and into a new house.  It is much bigger and I don't have to duck to go through the door.  

Most people here that have been to Oklahoma can't see how we live there with it being so flat and I tell them I don't see how they live up here where you can't see very far. lol

We did some service the other day. We helped build a chicken coop and helped put up a gate for cattle. Friday we could be scooping horse poop to help a guy clean stalls for them and hopefully get him headed in the right direction and want to serve a mission.

We had Zone Conference this week.  They talked about not only living the gospel and teaching the Doctrine of Christ but really internalizing that doctrine and making it a part of you.  Something that you will want to live the rest of your life.

Feb. 4, 2013

This has been a great week.  I invited someone to be baptized.  The date is set for the 23rd of this month.  We have taught him the Restoration and the Plan of SalvationWe don't have many investigators so we do a lot of tracting.

Our attic is just as it looks.  The doorway is only 6 feet tall and I've hit my a couple of time.  We share the main kitchen with the members and we have our own bathroom upstairs.  The members let us use their washer and dryer for laundry.  We will be changing houses on Thursday to a bigger house so hopefully it will be a more roomier.

I have found out very quickly that I don't like it when the rain hits my head.  It can be quite annoying.   I have yet to find a hat that will solve my problem.  With all the rain it is a little depressing but the past couple of days have been sunny.  It's beautiful here. When its clear you can see Mt. St. Helens and Mt. Hood.

When people find out I'm from Oklahoma they want to about the OU/BYU game and the OU/Boise State games, and some think that Texas and OSU are both better then the Sooners.  They aren't too fond of the Thunder up here.  My companion just happens to be a Miami Heat fan.  It's a surprise the room hasn't set fire to itself yet.

There is one lady we are teaching that thought Oklahoma was still in the Dust Bowl.

Love,
Elder Poling