HAPPY EASTER



Dear Family,

  First I want to apologize to all my friends and family who write me letters. To better focus on my purpose as a missionary and the work that I'm involved in, I won't be writing letters often. I do love reading everyone's letters! I love and appreciate all your encouragement and support. I just need to be more focused on the work. Please understand! I love you all!

  As for this week, it was really great! Elder Padgett and I had a lot of success! So many people came to church on Sunday! I love all our investigators. I can't wait to begin baptizing. The sad thing is that today we got a phone call from our leaders telling us that Elder Padgett is getting transferred. Now he's already left for a city called Morelia. I'm so sad! He was my favorite companion! These next two weeks before the transfer ends I'll be having two temporary companions, one at a time of course. So in two weeks I'll be given another companion that will LIKELY stay my companion for six weeks. Complicated, and I'm bummed, but what can I do. I know that Heavenly Father is doing everything to make me the best missionary I can be. I learned a lot from being with Elder Padgett, even if only for 4 weeks.

 Well, a couple funny stories how about since I don't have much time tonight (I'm in the offices waiting for an Elder Reyes).

1 This week "little" Angel de Jesus kept spitting on us! Ugh! AND we got locked in an apartment complex! And little kids throw rocks at us sometimes. So I definitely feel like the sons of Mosiah. But we were patient in our afflictions and are having a lot of success. Alma 26:27-30

2 Elder Padgett taught me that at night you could tell passersby "Bubblicious" and they'll think you're trying to say "Buena Noches". SO funny!

3 Angel de Jesus was playing by the side of a sofa, but then stood up, hit the arm rest and fell back to the ground. Funny little chubby kid.

4 This Sunday was Easter, and we were asked to speak in Sacrament meeting. I spoke on the Ressurrection. I think I did a good job, lots of personal stories. Afterwords a woman came up to me and told me that everytime she sees me she sees Jesus Christ! I asked, "Why?!" And she told me it's because I'm so happy! Aww ahahah

5 Finally, this week I met this "Seer" lady who apparently has a gift of discernment. From a drawing of a tree she could tell a lot about you. She told me that I think too much and act too little. She told me a bunch of other things too, but you already know me. 

   I love you family! Until next week! i LOVE YOU!!!

Love,

  Elder Poirier

PS I have tons of photos but no time to send them! Next week then!

Dear Family



Dear Family!

  This week was incredibly overwhelming, emotionally demanding. We had successes:

1) A lady we had stopped visiting came to church on Sunday and basically told us, "You stopped coming to my house, so I had to get to church on my own!" She'd never been to church before, but loved it! She says she really felt like it was a family.

2) We went to give a blessing to our investigator, Lupita, because she was feeling really ill. We also confirmed that she DOES want to get baptized! She just wants to make sure that afterwords she doesn't become the same person she was. It'll take some prayer and repentance.

3) We met a woman whose name is Señorina (not señorita). She was telling us all about her four children who are grown up. She says it's time to start investigating to find the true church. She doesn't believe it's the Catholic. I showed her a photo of our family and she said, "Your mom looks so latina!" Funny. "She's from Chile," I said.

4) We are teaching a guy named Jose Manuel who got in an accident at work a few months ago and now he doesn't have his legs. It's inspiring how happy he is. He really is so optimistic. I love that he really enjoys reading the Book of Mormon. The funny thing is that when he read about Nephi killing Laban, he understood that it's okay to kill someone if they're not keeping the commandments. Um.. No. We had to explain why it was that Nephi killed him. Kind of worrying ahah.

5) We are planning on teaching a few families. I hope that eventually we can baptize a family. Do you know how long it's been since I baptized?! It's a little ridiculous. But all the families seem really cool. There's one that I love in particular because they have five young kids. They told me that they do worry about their future, whether they'll get involved in the mud of the world or stay clean. I know that really the Gospel can be that foundation on which to build their happy family.

    Unfortunately, this week we had a lot of rough times as well:

1) A man named Carlos, who we'd been teaching for a month now, suddenly started to hide from us. His whole family is lying, saying that he's away on a business trip, but Elder Padgett SAW him in the back room! Everyone here lies to us. WHY?! Just be HONEST. I have no respect for people who can't just admit that they're NOT interested.

2) Manuel didn't get baptized this week. His mom suffers from depression, and so she has no strength or courage to go against what her family says. Her ex-husband is threatening to cut her off if Manuel gets baptized. She doesn't trust that if that were to happen, somehow Heavenly Father would provide money and food. Because it's BAPTISM. No one could return to Him without baptism. Even Jesus Christ had to be baptized.

3) Yesterday we had a horrible day getting people to church. No one came except Cristina (above, also called Crespina), who we had quit visiting. Basically Elder Padgett and I had a conversation in which he told me (basically) that I haven't worked as hard as I could've, but now he's here and we're going to. Um..  I have been working SO hard. I have been trying to give it my ALL. To give up everything except communication with family and friends. Elder Parry and I worked just as hard and somehow didn't baptize. So it makes me wonder what the difference will be when we do start baptizing. My guess is the people. Different people. But whatever. My mind is racing as I think about everything that doesn't make sense to me, but I trust that if I keep working hard, things will work out. I'll figure it all out.

And now for two funny stories:

  1) Elder Padgett contacted someone in spanish but with an english accent. And they started to make fun of him! And then when I started to talk, my accent was the same as his! Ah! I didn't mean to! So funny

   2) The other week we saw a chihuahua in some bushes, and we both thought, "ew, it's so ugly." Later that week we walked passed the bushes again and the same chihuahua was there, but dead. An old man/gardener was trying to remove it from the bushes. Sick.

   I love you!

Love,
Elder Poirier

This Week in Mexico...



Dear Family,

Elder Padgett, me, and Elder Wallace

1) There were two drunk guys outside of our street one night who were blasting music from some sort of jukebox at 4AM, ruining our sleep. We were so mad. When we woke up to go running, we stood outside our door and just stared at them across the street, wishing we could do something. Why didn't anyone call the cops? Ugh! But then they noticed us and started calling at us and stumbling towards us. So we took off running. I love running by the way.

2) Our investigator Israel told us a story about when he was in high school. He was friends with a guy who was a member of our church. They were watching a track meet, eating icecream cones. The guy turned to Israel and said, talking about the icecream, "¡Está muy bueno!" There was another guy, warming up, who heard him and thought he was talking about him. To say a guy "esta bueno" is really bad here. So Israel's friend got beat up really bad. How funny that that is his memory of having a Mormon friend?

3) This week we found out that Perla, who we thought was perfect, has been lying to us this whole time. She doesn't believe anything we teach. She told us all her beliefs, about how God is an energy, and how Joseph Smith made up his story to do some good in the world. It's crazy how people can make up their own religion. She was telling us all about what is true. It broke our hearts :( Why not just be honest from the beginning instead of telling us that you've prayed and received answers that our message is true? But it turns out that her cousin, Brenda, IS interested in our message and even came to church this Sunday (secretly b/c her mom won't let her).

4) This week we were teaching a boy named Manuel who is 11. His mom is a member, and he wants to get baptized too. Elder Padgett is really good at teaching him. Me, not so much. So when Elder Padgett left for an exchange, I tried SO hard to be fun and simple. I tried to use an example to help him learn the 3rd commandment (about taking the Lord's name in vain). I'm embarrassed to even write this.. "Imagine if there was a big lion in the middle of the street, shoving cars aside. Everyone is going to be scared, probably using foul language. But you shouldn't." Wow.. Anyway. On Sunday we were supposed to baptize him, but his Catholic grandma kidnapped him and took him to Mass for the WHOLE day! UGH! We even went to Mass to try and see if we could get him back. Nope. So we're secretly baptizing him this Thursday.

5) I saw a woman who looked like the goldfish in Pinnocchio. Really.

6) We played soccer for 4 hours today! I'm wiped out! But I scored a great goal! Elder Padgett let me wear his Brazil jersey! P-days are so nice. I can't believe two weeks have already gone by with Elder Padgett. He's my favorite companion for sure! We get along so well. I did love Elder Rodriguez though (my dad--because he trained me). But he's home now. Well family! I love you!

     Love,

     Elder Mitch Poirier



Mexican Wall Art



AWESOME WEEK!

                                              My New Comp, Elder Padgett

                HUGE torta (a torta here is a sandwich, not a cake, like it is in Chile)

                                                 Saying Good-bye to Elder Parry

                             and teaching the Hermanas to say BFF and give a high 5

Dear Family!!

  This week was wonderful! First of all, I loved General Conference. We English-speaking elders got to watch it in one of the sunday school rooms in English! I loved the talk by Elder Cook and the one by Elder Scott. We missionaries rave about Elder Holland, but he didn't really have a topic :( Of course I love listening to the prophet, President Monson. We invited SO many investigators to come and watch Conference and hear the prophet, but only 3 came in total (of all 5 sessions). I wish people would have really considered what we were saying; a modern-day Moses or Noah or Peter would be speaking to us. Why wouldn't everyone be interested in hearing what they have to say?

  Also, I love my companion! Elder Padgett is my favorite so far! He's super funny and relaxed, but totally obedient and a hard-worker. We are going to have a lot of success together! He told me a funny joke, "What was the last thing Lot said to his wife before she turned to stone?" I'll put the answer at the end of the email. We get along great. Today for P-day we played soccer! I love it! And then we went to buy some reversible ties! They're the coolest! I want to buy some for Max and Dad! We sent mail and soon we're going to have a BBQ with the rest of the elders in our zone, and sisters. The sisters are hilarious! This week I've just been so happy. It's indescribable because I haven't baptized in a while, but I'm happy and so excited for the next 18 months of my mission. I can see me going home SUPER excited, but also a little sad that it's over. Especially since I'll have three months before school starts. But I'm happy here! And it makes me happier knowing that you are all living life normally and happily as well. I'm glad in these 6 months not much has changed! Though really soon Max will be out here in Mexico also! He'll be my companion! I wish!

 This week-ish I started the Book of Mormon over in Spanish (Yes! I read it all in spanish once now!) and a verse really struck me about Sariah when her sons finally return from Jerusalem. It's 1 Nephi 5:8. She realizes that the Lord protected her sons and gave them power to fulfull what He was asking of them. That's the same for all of us missionaries. We're protected. We have spiritual power. So don't worry about us. Trust in the Lord and keep keeping His commandments!

  I love you all! I miss you!

Love,

 Elder Mitchell Poirier

ps-

Whoops! The joke is:

"Hey, honey, is there anyone following us?"

1Nephi 5:8  "... yea, and I also know of a surety that the Lord hath protected my sons, and delivered them out of the hands of Laban, and given them power whereby they could accomplish the thing which the Lord hath commanded them.”