I Love General Conference!

Call me uncreative, but I couldn't think of a more fitting title for this week. I just LOVE general conference! It was SO good! I can't even begin to express how I feel about it! I wish it wasn't over yet, but I look forward to studying it, even repetitiously, over the next 6 months, as the prophet has counseled. 

Now look. The good feelings any of us have had these last few days, the guidance we have felt and received, the increase of love or humility that may have come upon us, none of that will matter or persist if we don't put in the time to study these talks. On the other hand, if we make the sacrifice to study and apply these teachings, we will have a continually flow of heavenly light that will illuminate our lives and bring us more of everything we want. Your choice.

On a less serious topic, kids + eggs + dye = chaos. I'm sure all of you parents could have told me that, but I had to find out the hard way: by having an Easter missionary activity with egg dying and egg races and then invite member and investigator parents with an army of little kids in tow ^-^ Haha it was quite the scene! Everyone loved the activity though, we got compliments left and right about it, so it all worked out! Let me tell ya though, Elder Brant and I boiled A LOT of eggs!!! I didn't even know they made pots that big! It was great! :D I have a lot of pictures a member took, so you can see what I mean :) 

We found out this week that our mission president, President Patterson, is in fact a prophet. In preparation for our last zone conference, he asked us to listen to "Let Us All Press On" and memorize the words: The EXACT same arrangement that the Tabernacle Choir sang right after President Nielson shared the lyrics of it! All of us missionaries were singing along! It was awesome! :D

None of our investigators were able to watch conference :/ BUT multiple came to the activity, including Monica with a friend that we are going to start teaching! So that was pretty exciting :) We are going to be using a lot of conference references to teach coming up here, it should really help people progress. 

I want to thank you all for existing haha :) You are all wonderful, because you all have your own wonderful. That is the beauty of this life. We are all a "kaleidoscope" of monarch butterflies: all beautiful, yet all different. Together we make quite the pattern :) I love the song "Heavens Eyes" from the Prince of Egypt. The lyrics inspire me to be more aware of who I am and what I can be. I'll put the lyrics at the end of the email for all who wish to read them, but the song is much better of you want to look it up :) If we all, as one, love each other, we will all grow together, and rejoice together! The talk on love by Reyna Aberto is one of my favorites from this conference. I can't wait to re read them all! 

A single thread in a tapestry-
Though its color brightly shine-
Can never see its purpose
In the pattern of the grand design.

And the stone that sits on the very top
Of the mountain's mighty face-
Does it think it's more important
Than the stones that form the base?

So how can you see what your life is worth
Or where your value lies?
You can never see through the eyes of man
You must look at your life,
Look at your life through heaven's eyes.

A lake of gold in the desert sand
Is less than a cool fresh spring-
And to one lost sheep, a shepherd boy
Is greater than the richest king.
If a man lose everything he owns,
Has he truly lost his worth?
Or is it the beginning
Of a new and brighter birth?

So how do you measure the worth of a man-
In wealth or strength or size?
In how much he gained or how much he gave?
The answer will come,
The answer will come to him who tries
To look at his life through heaven's eyes.

And that's why we share all we have with you,
Though there's little to be found.
When all you've got is nothing,
There's a lot to go around.

No life can escape being blown about
By the winds of change and chance,

And though you never know all the steps,
You must learn to join the dance-
You must learn to join the dance.

So how do you judge what a man is worth?
By what he builds or buys?

You can never see with your eyes on earth-
Look through heaven's eyes.
Look at your life,
Look at your life,
Look at your life through heaven's eyes!

Well I sure love you all, have a wonderful week being you :)

Elder Poulson