Welcome to Pueblo!

...this is what I've been hearing for the past few days from all the missionaries in my new zone. Every time something strange happens or whatever they all say "welcome to Pueblo!" kind of like an inside joke or something haha, well I LOVE Puebs! Besides the fact that my second day here we got our car stuck in the mud and had to have a few less actives pull us out (yay for service! not so good for my shoes...) and that our fridge stopped working the other night so we had to run around trying to find an extension cord because the outlets blew out and as we were putting our food back into the fridge I totally dropped the sour cream and it flew all over us  and the kitchen... and not to mention that the wind is intense here like Rexburg intense. Didn't think that one was possible... so yeah, it's been a crazy week. Its a lot different then the Springs in the fact that its warm here! GLORY! I'm currently wearing short sleeves and no tights and its basically heaven on earth.

It's a very interesting place lets just say but I LOVE it!! My companion's name is Sister Bush, she is 21, been out for three months, from Tennessee (cause you're the only ten I see.... haha jokes) and has a very strong testimony! We get a long really well and I just love her! She is a huge example to me because she was less active most of her life and it was the missionaries who brought her back to activity a few years ago so her perspective is awesome! Her dad isn't a member and a few of her siblings aren't active and don't really understand why she is on a mission but she knows why she is here. She basically just rocks.

We work with the young single adults (YSA) in the Pueblo stake so we cover six wards! #UtahMission. We go to two wards each Sunday so that's five hours of church because for the first ward we go to Sacrament meeting and Sunday School and then go to three hours of the next ward. It is a bit of craziness but there really isn't any other way that we can meet people in the stake. We also have five nights of dinner in one ward a month so that way we can go around and meet more members. So, we travel a ton which is kind of nice because it gives us a chance to talk a lot (and we both talk... a lot) and have become fast friends. Nothing like a good road trip to do that to ya right? Our goal is to start a YSA branch but we need about 20 or so more active YSA's before we can do that. We do a lot of stop by visits to meet people through out the week. I already have seen many miracles since arriving here on Wednesday afternoon.

We do a lot of activities with the YSA's like family home evening, scripture study and institute. It's pretty neat being involved with the ysa again but just in missionary mode now.

There is a less active ysa named B. who is 24 and has been less active for a number of years. We met with him for the first time on Saturday, he came to a ysa activity that night AND church for the first time in awhile the next day AND we taught him the first lesson which is the Restoration that night. He told us that he knows its true but just wants to go through the missionary lessons as a refresher. In just the short time that I have been here we have already seen a less active return to church and actually come to activities and make friends with the other ysa.

 We are also teaching a twelve year old named A. who lives with his aunt and uncle. He is the smartest kids ever! He wants to be baptized so badly but his mother won't let him so we have been going over there to lift his spirits. We are praying that his mom's heart will be softened and she will let him get baptized because he is so ready and its what he truly wants! We are teaching the cutest little girl named B. She is seven years old and her mom asked us to teach her the missionary lessons before she was baptized so that it is her decision. Yesterday she kept quoting the seventh article of faith just randomly and looked at us and said "I don't know why I keep saying that" It was hilarious, she cracks us up!

 I am so blessed and lucky to be here serving the Lord in Pueblo! It has been a blessing to see the hand of the Lord in my life since being on a mission. I know that He is ALWAYS mindful of His children and looks out for us all. As we look back on our lives over the years we will see that Heavenly Father and our Savior, Jesus Christ never ever left us but in fact, they were walking on either side of us. I know that sometimes it may seem like you have been abandoned by God and Jesus Christ but it is my testimony that they are always there for us but that we must seek them out. 3rd Nephi 27: 29 "Therefore, ask, and ye shall receive; knock, and it shall be opened unto you; for he that asketh, receiveth; and unto him that knocketh, it shall be opened."

At transfer meeting on Wednesday an Elder came up to me and asked if Gordon Peterson was my grandpa, I said yes and then he told me that we were cousins because he's Aunt Judy's grandson I think? Tell grandpa!!!!

I love and miss you all so much!! Praying for your safety and for you to have missionary opportunities! There are a million of them every day, we just need to find them.

xoxo

Sister Peterson

 So write me maybe? :)

my new address:
713 w. 18th street apt 203
pueblo, co 81003