The Week of Cheesecake

Hey! How are my favorite people doing? :)  

Monday- A bunch of sisters went to CastleWood Canyon in Franktown to hike and walk around. It was super fun!

Tuesday- S was baptized!!! It was so neat to be apart of her special day. Six of us sister missionaries sang "When I am baptized" and while we were singing, S started bawling and that got us all going, haha. She is just so cute and when she feels the Spirit, she really feels it! She left for school in Florida on Thursday so that was sad but she said that she will keep in touch. Her mom and younger sister are still being taught by the sisters so we are hoping that they will get baptized as well :) Its so cool to see how the Lord works and I know that He truly does put those that are prepared in our paths if we are paying attention.

Wednesday- All eight of the sisters in the zone went to mutual in Castle Rock to teach a ward of young women about modesty. Obviously, Sister Harrop and I taught the fashion portion of the lesson. We brought examples of how to make our clothes modest. It went really well and the girls seemed to really like it so we might do that again in different wards throughout the stake. 

Thursday- MY YEAR MARK! Sister Harrop, me, Sister Muro and Sister Murdock went to the mall for lunch and then we got cheesecake at the cheesecake factory, so delish! Sister Muro came out with us too so we are celebrated together. It was a lot of fun being about to talk about the MTC when we all met and to see how far we have all come in our missions. 

Friday- We had zone training and played minute to win it to teach us that sometimes we may only have one minute to testify. I did the magic carpet game where you had to sit on a towel and weave in and out of chairs and then slide under a table to reach the finish line. Yeah, what a great idea in a skirt right?? Clearly elders came up with that one. My knees got all scraped up and they were burning!! 

Saturday- We did service by helping a family pull weeds in their backyard. Are you proud of me Dad? Haha. And visited a ton of people in the ward to hand out flyers for the carnival on Saturday. 

Sunday- Yesterday was a really awesome day! We  saw two referrals that seem pretty solid. One of them is an aunt and uncle to a sister missionary in AZ. They were eating dinner when we went by but the lady was so nice when she found out that we were missionaries and that her niece sent us. And the other was from a lady whose dentist is a Bishop in Castle rock, she was super cool and asked a lot of questions and took everything we gave her like a Restoration and Plan of Salvation pamphlet and a Book of Mormon. She was really nice and said that we could come back anytime. So there's more and more potential popping up here! 

SHOUT OUTS! 

Happy anniversary to Jared and Lauren last week and to Matt and Ami this week!! 

I'm grateful for all of you and love you all!!! Keep being awesome!

Love,

Sister Peterson 

The year of a missionary

Hi everyone!! 

Okay confession: I had to pull out the planner for this email because I couldn't remember anything. Sleep deprived? I think so. But it was a really great week! We saw J and should start teaching him again soon. We also did service for J (different J) and hopefully will begin teaching her after all of the craziness of her move settles down.  We had zone conference with another zone last Tuesday. We focused on teaching the lessons to children that will be turning eight soon so that they can know more before they are baptized. We already have appointments set up to teach an eight year old girl in our ward. She is going to be bringing a friend with her when we teach and hopefully her parents will be there as well. 

A girl in our ward gave her mission farewell talk yesterday. I really appreciated that it was a farewell talk rather then a homecoming talk. Can't take those anymore haha. But, her talk was so great and it helped remind me why I am out here serving the Lord. And it also rekindled that flame to work harder and to be better. I know that I am out here for a reason and that there are people that I need to meet.  

With my year mark coming up on Thursday, I have been reflecting back to this past year that I have spent as a missionary. I have seen so much change and growth within myself and I will ever be grateful that I have had this opportunity to serve the Lord thus far. I don't really know who I would be without a mission. It has helped to start to shape me into the person that Heavenly Father knows I can become. I have been able to witness miracles and to walk side by side with my Savior, Jesus Christ and catch just a glimpse of what He had to go through. I know that Jesus Christ went through torment and pain just for me. I know that He loves me and that because of Him, it is possible to achieve eternal life and to live with my family forever. It is only through Him that I am saved from my sorrows and sins. I owe it all to Him and to my loving Father in Heaven for sending him to earth to die for us. Watch this video and allow the Spirit to touch your heart. I know it did for me. I can't really put into words how much the Savior means to me and how strong our relationship is now. I know that because of the mission that my relationship is so much stronger with them because sometimes, yeah, you feel completely and utterly alone being away from your family and friends. But, I can testify that we are never alone. I have felt God's love for me on those days that I wanted to give up and I have been told to not quit because He loves me and I am worth it. I know that He loves each and everyone of you and that you are worth it to Him. You matter to Him and He should always matter to us. 

https://www.lds.org/youth/video/because-of-him?lang=eng

I hope that you all have a wonderful week! I pray for your safety and happiness each day. Oh, and also that you will share the gospel with someone. Gotta throw that out there. I love and miss you. Thank you for all that you done for me and continue to do for me. 

Stay sweet! (This ones for you, Allly B!)

Sister Peterson

I love to see the Temple!

Another transfer is here! This past week was a whirlwind but that always seems to happen at the beginning of each transfer. I am so happy to be here with Sister Harrop. Already, she has taught me a lot and I just love her so much. Its going to be a great transfer!! :)

It was so sad to say goodbye to my friends who had completed their missions last week but I am so grateful that I was able to meet and learn from them. Good luck in the "real world" and please try not to be too awkward haha. 

We were able to visit a lot of less actives this week. Our bishop asked us to visit each family and pass out flyers for the carnival that the ward is putting on at the end of the month. Okay, I'm super stoked for it because I love carnivals and free food so its pretty much the greatest combo ever. I'm just hoping there aren't clowns there cause then I would peace out like nobody's business. My companion and I are even having a booth set up so its going to be a perfect missionary opportunity. I'll keep you posted on how it goes!

On Saturday I was privileged to go to the temple with A, a recent convert from Pueblo to do baptisms. They rolled up to pick me up in this huge van full of a bunch of YSA that I served with. It was so good to see them all again! I just loved Pueblo...kinda obsessed with it? It's fine. Probably my favorite moments on the mission is being in the temple with someone who is there for the first time. You can't really describe the Spirit felt there but I just feel so close to my Father in Heaven when I am in His house. Every heartache, every hard day, every tear shed is all worth it when you go with someone to the temple. The mission is extremely challenging and stretches you in so many different directions but there is nowhere in the world that I would rather be. It is all worth it knowing that you made a difference in someone else's life. Because in the end its not about us, its about OTHERS. 

SHOUT OUTS!

Happy birthday to Hermana Boody tomorrow! I tried to type that in Spanish but I'm just too dang white....lo siento. Te amo mucho baby girl!!!

Amskiiiiiii, you knew this was coming. I hope that you have a fabulous birthday on Friday. What are you turning? Like twenty five? Sounds good to me ;)

You all light up my life and I couldn't do this without you. Have a great week and stay happy. Share your testimony of the Savior with someone this week because you never know who needs to hear it!!

Much love,

Sister Peterson 

The Transfer of ONE THOUSAND

WHATS UP MY FAVE HOMIES!!

 

So remember in the beginning of this transfer I told you that Sister B and I wanted to contact one thousand non-members? Well, I am SO happy to say that WE DID IT!!!!! We hit that beautiful number 1,000 on Friday. And do you also remember that statistic that one in 1,000 would get baptized? Well, a nineteen year old girl named S has a baptismal date for August 12th! But here's the kicker....she's not in our ward boundaries!! :( So depressing!!! So Sister B and I were walking from the library to Costa Vida (typical...did I ever mention that we get half off because the owner is LDS? I actually like it there now so its a tender mercy on my MSF) Anyways, so we were just walking by, talking to everyone we saw and there were two ladies walking their dog so we said hi and just started talking to them. Found out that they were mother and daughter and the daughter used to go to mutual with a friend growing up and really was interested in learning more. We set up an appointment to go see them the next night to teach the restoration. We brought the sisters in their ward with us and it was a really powerful lesson! The Spirit was so strong and the daughter accepted a baptismal date!! And they both came to church yesterday. They came to our ward because it was earlier (I mean really they just wanted to hear me speak haha..not) They stayed all three hours and we showed them baptismal font and S was really excited!! This transfer was just a huge testimony builder to me that when we work hard, there will always be blessings. Even though she isn't in ward, its okay because Sister B and I worked sooo hard this transfer and we know that we were lead by the Spirit to find them. It was just by simply saying "hi" and talking to everyone that we see. My testimony has grown so much from this wonderful experience and I know that Heavenly Father truly looks out for His children.

 

On Saturday, we got to go to a wedding and baptism in P because it was a family that Sister B had taught for seven months in her last area. So the couple got married in the chapel and then there was a reception afterwards (that was interesting to be there as a missionary haha) and then the couple and the groom's eight year old son were all baptized. I LOVE going to baptisms for families. It is just so special being able to witness that miracle and knowing that they will be sealed in the temple next year! It was a really great day!!

 

I gave a talk yesterday in Sacrament meeting on sacrifice. I said that how at first coming on a mission was a sacrifice of everything but how it turns into a huge blessing and privilege! I talked about how much mom had to sacrifice to join the church and later serve a mission. I had a few people tell me how impressed they were with her story and then I just bragged about how legit she is.

 

I am staying in Lone Tree for another transfer. I will be with Sister Harrop (like Hair up)and I am super excited because we came out together and are already friends and she is too cute! I just keep getting blessed with wonderful companions, its kind of awesome :) It will be great to stay in this area for another six weeks and watch these people progress. We are still teaching J and hoping that he received his answer and will get baptized. Pray for him! The mission is great, I am great, God is good! What more could I ask for? :) I love you. I miss you. Some mail would be nice...just saying!

 

You know you love me...XOXO, (only true GG fans will get this...)

Sister Peterson

God Is Good

Hola everyone, how is the family reunion going? I love all of the pictures that you have sent me so keep them coming! I am even more obsessed with Leah then I already was..haha uh oh! Ami-don't forget to show her pictures of me and tell her who I am!

 

We've been reading a chapter day from the Book of Mormon with J. He has dyslexia so if he reads it on his own, he doesn't understand very much. We've already read a few chapters with him but he gets easily distracted so we are thinking about just going over the lessons with him. He said that he has gone through a few sets of missionaries and that we do a better job then the "boys"....haha sister pride! We aren't teaching the one lady anymore because she read some anti literature and does not want us coming by. I know that as missionary we plant a lot of seeds and that was really hard for me to accept at first but I know that its all in the Lord's timing and way. I definitely had to humble myself to be okay with that but I know that a lot of seeds have been planted and that we never know when will bloom.

 

Ready for a hilarious story? Yesterday when we were out tracting we ran into R! Remember him? The ice cream guy? He pulls over to talk to us and gives us free Popsicles (tender mercy)! He said that he read a little bit of the BofM and we invited him to be baptized and he said maybe. Oh, R gotta love him! We asked him to take a picture for us and he had NO IDEA how to work a digital camera. First off, he had the camera facing him and was sticking his eye into the lens wondering how he looked through it. He was this close to taking a selfie really close to his face. Hahahah probably the best thing that's ever happened.

 

Transfers are next Tuesday-I can hardly believe how fast the past six weeks have flown by. And then Sister Bjarnason is leaving me :( Who does that? haha. I am so grateful for the time that we've been able to have together. She is one heck of a missionary and I learned a lot from her example and spunk! Oh yeah, so earlier this morning we moved in with another family in the ward for the next week because the people we live with are having a huge family reunion at their house and they needed the space.

 

I love being on a mission. It has changed my life for the better. I am better because of this gospel. I am better because of the Atonement and I am better because of my Savior, Jesus Christ. And who doesn't want to be better? ;) But seriously, I have learned and grown so much and wouldn't trade that for anything. Please allow the gospel to change you and allow it to change those around you. Don't be afraid when change comes but embrace it and Heavenly Father will never lead you astray.

 

You all mean so much to me and have helped shape me into the woman I am today so thank you. Love and miss you!!

 

xoxo

Sister Peterson

Eleven months!

HEY family!! What's new? Hope you're all having fun in St. George. Don't forget to take the cardboard cutout of me with you everywhere!

 

My week was pretty great because we are teaching three new people which is really good for this area sooo that's pretty awesome. We're teaching this guy named J. that Sister B met when they were helping a lady move last transfer. We're also teaching an Indian women named D. who has a lot of questions about where we go when we die. And a lady named C., she was a media referral from the MTC so we met with her on Saturday. She had an LDS guy that she worked with that asked her to meet with the missionaries right before he moved. We taught her the restoration and she seemed to be really interested, she listened really intently and asked a lot of great questions. We are praying for miracles and we have faith that things will work out according to the Lord's will.

 

So remember that investigator I told you about last week, B.? Yeah, well that's a crazy long story but basically we aren't teaching him anymore for a few reasons. Its a really sad situation he's in but planted the seeds and he has a BofM so we just pray that he will feel God's love and ya never know what could happen down the road.

 

We had interviews with President Rehm on Friday! I just love them so much. Its so nice to have those "mission parents" while I'm away from my wonderful parents. Sister Rehm is a crack up, she is so funny! And we totally bonded over the fact that we're from PA, nbd :P

 

We've had a lot of neat experiences this week with talking to everyone. I know that as we talk with everyone about the gospel that Heavenly Father opens up so many doors :) I have changed so much in the eleven months that I have been on a mission and I wouldn't trade that for anything. I have learned and grown so much and am so thankful for this time that I have to serve the Lord :)

 

SHOUT-OUTS!

 

Happy birthday on Friday, Brittle boo!!!! LOVE YOU SUGA! :)

 

Activity Day Girls! Thank you so much for your cute letter. It made my day and made me laugh, it was so presh! No worries, I am keeping the commandments AND reading lots of verses ;) hahah

 

You're all so great and I love you all so much! I am so grateful that we are a forever family :) Share the gospel with someone so that they can have a forever family too!!

 

Peace and Love,

Sister Peterson

Free Slurpee Day 7/11

 

Don't Give Up!

 Well... this week was awesome!!

I met my new mission president and his wife on Wednesday and they are so awesome!! I love them so much already. I can tell that they really know how to work with the younger crowd. His wife is divalicious and I told her that she could borrow my necklace that I was wearing because she loved it. We're pretty much bffs already haha. They are just great and I know that they are truly inspired! We have interviews with him on Thursday and I am so excited to get to know them better. He asked us to read our patriarchal blessings and ponder on what spiritual gifts the Lord has blessed us with. I thought that was neat especially since dad told me to read my blessing in his email to me today. So inspired!

On fourth of July we went to the park where everyone was to watch fireworks and we just went up to people and talked to them about the gospel. It was so much fun because there were people everywhere so it was pretty much like a missionarie's jackpot haha.

We have a new investigator!! His name is B. and he has quite the story. So, we were at the library on Thursday doing mormon.org time and its crazy because we weren't even going to go to the library that day and we also flipped our chairs around to face the people. Sister B said that she kept seeing this guy walking past us and he was looking in the religious section so we were wondering if he was looking for something. So Sister B went up to him and told him that she felt prompted to give him a copy of the Book of Mormon and she told us that our card with our number was in there and to call if he has any questions. Ya know the usual that we tell people. She marked 2nd Nephi 31 for him to read. So we leave and a few hours later we have a missed call and a text from a random number so we ask who it is and he said "you gave me your card at the library" and we just start busting up dancing in the middle of someone's driveway, we were so happy. Okay so this NEVER happens. We always give people our number just incase but no one ever calls us...until now. Can you say miracle or what? So he tells us that he read from the book and that he wants to talk about it sometime. So we met up with him at the library yesterday and taught him the restoration. He liked what we had to say and wants to meet with us again this week. Its crazy because he told us that the last six months of his life have been really hard. He's homeless so he sleeps in his car and doesn't have anyone. His brother and dad are in jail and he doesn't talk to anyone in his family. He literally feels alone but he knows that God is there. But now he has us and the gospel!! As we told him that he has a loving Heavenly Father, you could just see him light up with that precious knowledge. It was cool to see the Spirit work within him. We also had him come to dinner at the bishop's house last night so he now knows them and their son just came home from his mission so they will be bffs haha.

We saw so many miracles this week-big and small and its at times like those that I am very away of my Father in Heaven and how much love He has for us and for all of His children. I am so lucky to be a missionary at this time. As we have been talking with everyone we meet, I notice that I am happier and my testimony grows a ton.

Have fun at the family reunion and try not to miss me too much ;) Have a safe and happy week and please share the gospel with someone. Whether it is by your example or handing out a Book of Mormon, we are all missionaries and can do our part in many different ways! Love and miss you :)

XOXOXO

Sister Peterson