He Hears Me

Hi everyone!

Let's see....

Halloween is just one of the best holidays! We had district meeting where one of the elders dressed up as a ninja. There's always that one...haha. It was a fun day! That morning, we went to the church building to help out with the seminary. carnival. I can't believe that I used to wake up that hideously early for seminary. Props to all you early morning seminary kids! 

So, me and three other sisters were in a fashion shoot this week! Not a big deal or anything haha but really. There's this lady in my ward whose husband is less active and she wanted us to model the clothes for her facebook page. The brand is called LuLaRoe and they are the cutest clothes ever! Basically, I was in heaven! Look up her page! Lularoe by Alecia. I haven't seen all of the pictures yet so I'm scared but there ya go! Also, mom if you want to just give me some money for Christmas I would love to buy her clothes. She gives missionaries a huge discount. Just throwin that idea out there...

So, not sure if I have mentioned this or not but President Rhem changed our key indicators to where we need to be teaching the full 45 minute lesson to count as an "other lesson". So he wants us to role-play the lessons to every family in our wards. It has been going really well so far! We have been able to teach a ton of the families and its great practice for us to practice the lessons. That's been keeping us super busy! 

So about every four months in my mission we have a Work of Salvation Fireside where investigators, recent converts and less actives speak. We asked our recent convert, C to speak and he did such a great job! I loved being there because I love hearing others conversion stories and how the gospel has blessed their lives. Every single one of us has our own story that needs to be shared. The Spirit was very strong. 

As you know yesterday was fast Sunday and I was fasting for a few different things. One was that we would see miracles this transfer mainly involving our investigator, K. So, we're walking into gospel principles and she is sitting there!!! Right then and there, I KNEW that Heavenly Father had answered mt prayers and fast. She stayed all three hours and she actually opened up to me a lot about her involvement with the church and concerns that she has. She loves reading the scriptures and has her own quad! How legit is that? Her daughters come with her and love going to primary. Her husband is the main thing that is holding her back. So, we are praying for his heart to be softened. That experience was just a testimony to me that Heavenly Father listens to me and will always answer me, maybe not in the way that I want but I KNOW that He is there. 

Shout-outs! 

Happy 22nd birthday, Ally b! I hope that b.k. made it a really special day for you ;) I miss knockin doors with you all day errey day ya chump! 

Happy 23rd birthday, Meggy! Girl you know that I would give you a shout out. I love you!!!

Crystal, happy birthday on Sunday! I won't reveal your age....haha. I hope that you have a fabulous day, miss you, sister! 

Matt and Casey, Ahhh I am so happy that you are getting sealed in the temple on Friday. I wish I could be there but I don't think that Pres. Rhem would approve but just know that I will be there in spirit! I'll be thinking of you two! Y'all are so precious and I am so happy for your little family. I know that your Father in Heaven is so proud of the decisions that you've made in your life that has led you both to this point. He loves you and wants you to be a forever family. I love your family!! 

That's about it for me. Talk to y'all next week!!! Choose the right, yo! 

xoxo

Sister Peterson

Sisterssssss...We FLY!

y'all better get that reference)

Hey everyone, 

I had a great week. Just livin up the mish life! Happy Halloween on Friday, what's everyone doing? Send me pictures!! 

Tuesdays we had interviews with President Rehm and one of the first things he said to me was "If I remember correctly you go home in Febrary. So that's three transfers so that's 18 weeks." I was like "UHM...WHAT?" He then proceeded to tell me that when people ask me about going home that it should push me to feel a sense of urgency to be the best that I can be. And honestly, that's all I want. I want to be the best missionary for my Father in Heaven. He deserves me to work my hardest for His children. So, at first what seemed like a weird comment from my mission president turned into some wise council from him ha. 

I went on exchanges with Sister Durtschi, a sister training leader. She is so awesome! We came out together so we've known each other awhile. Matt, she knows your family because she is from Ridgecrest. Small world! 

This area has a lot of service going on which is awesome! I have totally learned to love serving people on the mission. I wasn't the best at it before because I was a ridiculous girl but now I know the importance of serving those around us. That is when I can truly love someone when I see them through God's eyes. 

Saturday, was the Trunk or Treat! It was a ton of fun and a lot of non-members came. Our ward is on fire with inviting people to church and activities. It's refreshing. K, our investigator was there with her husband who isn't as interested as her so that was neat. J, the less active that we are working with came but it was just for the free food..... but it was the first time that she stepped inside a church building in six-eight months. So, that's progress! We helped her clean her house on Friday and asked her if we could re-teach her the lessons and she was up for it but then last minute she cancelled on us and didn't come to church :( What a let down!! But that's the way the mission goes, just have to allow yourself to be sad for them for a minute and then pick yourself back up and go help someone else in need. 

This is really random but there's a sister in the ward that trained Sister Saldavar from the District 2. Haha so that's my claim to fame! 

Lately, I have been focusing on chapter six in Preach my Gospel. It's the Christlike Attribute chapter. Sister Durtschi and I taught it in our pmg class on Thursday. I have been studying the attribute of charity and love. I know that everything we do stems out of our love for that person or thing. Christ loved everyone perfectly and although we can't do that because it's really hard and none of us are perfect, He will help us if we let Him. I have been praying to have more charity and love for my fellowmen and I know that Heavenly Father has blessed me with more patience or seeing someone's point of view. Just little things like that but to me they make a huge difference. I want to challenge you to do the Christlike Attribute activity and let know how it goes! I know that it will bless your life as you try to be more like Christ. Plus you will become happier and who doesn't want that? :)

SHOUT-OUTS!

Hailey, Happy sixteenth birthday today!! Stop growing up so fast, it's just weird!! Enjoy your day and have fun with mom! Don't forget to beat those boys off with a stick ;) (Dad, this comment is for you.) How's driving going? 

Sister Knight, happy birthday to you last week!! (I dunno about you but I'm feelin twenty-twooooo) You are a rockstar and are doing fabulous things for the people in Utah!! I hope you had a great birthday. Love you!! 

Hermana Infanzon, can't believe that you will be home in blessed PA on Thursday! You served an AMAZING mission. I am so proud of you and I know that your Heavenly Father is pleased with the work that you have done. You have blessed so many lives in El Salvador and the people will never forget you. I can't wait to go back and visit the mish with you, boo! Te amo mucho!!! :) Have a safe flight and write me ASAP. 

Love you! Miss you!! Make me proud by sharing the gospel with someone this week! Dad told me a cool story in his email about sharing his testimony. Now, everyone please do the same! 

xoxo

Sister Peterson 

My Companions a Cripple

Sooo I know you're all just dying to know how my new area and companion are! And to answer both of those things, they are awesome! This area has a lot going on. We have activities going on every night basically so that's been really nice to be busy. We go to mutual on Tuesdays, pmg planning with the district on Wednesdays, Thursdays is a preach my gospel class with the youth in the 3 wards and we play sports after and Saturday is sports night with the youth. So we work with the youth a lot and its really fun!! They are on fire with sharing the gospel with their friends! 

And my companion, Sister Stock is 19, from Idaho Falls, Idaho, went to BYU-I for a year before the mission and has been out for six months and has one arm. ...Seriously. Nah, just kidding. She broke her wrist the week before I got here playing an intense came called church dodge ball. Crazy right? So I have been taking care of her basically earning my mom points as we like to call it haha. She is really awesome though. She is a hard worker and is very bold, so we throw down on everyone and work well together. So, it's been really great so far! We have a few potentials that we are trying to work with and then an investigator named Kristie who is close to a baptism date but doesn't want to be rushed. She asked the sisters before I got here if we could do a last minute baptism if she randomly called her one day? UHM HECK YES. We're also working closely with a less active lady named Jody who said that she would come to church on Sunday and apparently she never said that before so that's winning! 

We had stake conference this weekend. Always makes me think of dad. Yesterday, it was broadcast from Salt Lake and Elder Bednar and Elder Scott both spoke. They were both really great talks about prayer and revelation. It was like a little dose of General Conference! 

We have the ward trunk or treat on Saturday which is going to be really fun even though we can't dress up... black and orange will have to do, right?

Random: But the family that we live with are the Parcells and they have two cats! This is the first time on my mission that I have lived with cats! Miracles! THeir names are Lexi and George and they are so precious. Makes me a happy sister missionary! hahaha Sister Stock and I both have crazy cat lady syndrome. Sorry bout it. 

I know that the Gospel of Jesus Christ can change lives. I have seen it and my life has changed because of it. God is good!! Thank Him each day for the many blessings that you have because of Him. I've been reading in Mosiah when Abinadi is speaking to wicked King Noah and I love what Abinadi says  6 And now if Christ had not come into the world, speaking of things to come as though they had already come, there could have been no redemption.

 7 And if Christ had not risen from the dead, or have broken the bands of death that the grave should have no victory, and that death should have no sting, there could have been no resurrection.

 8 But there is a resurrection, therefore the grave hath no victory, and the sting of death is swallowed up in Christ.

 9 He is the light and the life of the world; yea, a light that is endless, that can never be darkened; yea, and also a life which is endless, that there can be no more death.

Christ is our light and because of Him, we can all live again and live with those that we love!! So let's all be a little more happier and enthusiastic about sharing the good news of what Christ has done for us with those around you. 

That's about it for me. I hope that y'all have a blessed week! Love you! Miss you! 

xoxo

Sister Peterson 

pics: we did service on a farm on Saturday and bottle fed these cute baby goats!

Saying goodbye to Sister Harrop :(

Next Stop CO Springs

Hey everyone!

This just in: I am getting transferred to the Colorado Springs East Zone. I will be in the Meridian ward with Sister Stock. I am excited and ready for this change! It possibly could be my last area...freaking out only slightly. But it will be good and now the only challenge is packing (that worst thing ever!) I don't know how I have collected so much stuff over the past fourteen months but I have so mom, look out for a truck load of stuff coming home. Haha only kidding.. more like ten boxes.

My last week (who knew!) in Lone Tree was pretty great! 

Sister Harrop and I met the funniest guy at the library last week. He was a Southern black so of course he was automatically cool haha. His name was C but everyone calls him cornbread (that's normal, right?) We talked to him about Jesus Christ and gave him "The Lamb of God" and "Finding Faith in Christ" DVDS. He lives in the Springs and travels a lot for his salesperson job so sadly he doesn't live around here but maybe I will run into him again since I'm going to the Springs! He was really hilarious though and called us Harrop and Peterson and kept saying that we were models and referred to himself in the third person. 

You meet the most interesting people on the mission! 

Yesterday, I said goodbye to a ton of people which is always sad! Its a great ward and the people are awesome. I promised a few people that I would come back and visit someday. I will miss Sister Harrop! We have become so close over the past two transfers and she is a great missionary. But we are excited to be reunited when we both go home together. Change is always nice so I am just off to another great adventure on the mission. 

That's about it for me. I love and miss everyone!!! Have a happy week! Pray to be an answer to someone's prayers.

As I have been doing that, Heavenly Father has led me to those that need His message. Try it out!

XOXO

Sister Peterson 

pics: you know I had to hahaha #fierce 

General Conference was Monumental!

HEY FAMILY!!

I have a few highlights for the week... 

Tuesday, we got to watch Meet the Mormons and it was an A+! It was so touching and really well done. Dad, you were right, I totally cried at the last story of the "missionary mom". I just loved hearing her share her story about how hard her life was before she found the truth. It was neat to see how happy she became and how the gospel saved her life. Shout out to sister missionaries who taught her! It was cool to see the ripple effect of her decision to join the church lead to her son serving a mission to bless others lives. I love when she said "to give the missionaries a chance and to listen to them like I hope they will listen to my son." If people just gave us a chance, they would be able to feel of the Spirit and they could know the truth of what we teach. 

And of course. General Conference was a huge highlight for me!! I went into conference with a ton of questions and most of them were answered in one way or another. I have a strong testimony that when we ask, we WILL receive. I know that Heavenly Father is aware of me and what I need. We were at member's homes for all five sessions. I even watched Priesthood session #winning. Mom, you would be happy to know that I took notes like nobodies business. Twenty-nine pages to be exact. My notebook pages are small but still. It was so good that I was soaking it up! I love how they talked about decisions and choices. Its really up to us how we want to progress in the gospel. Love what James J. Hamula of the Seventy said "Although all of us will return to God, not all of us will remain with Him." SO TRUE. That was a very thought provoking comment. True, we all will return to God after we pass on from this life but all of us will not remain with Him in the Celestial Kingdom. I know where I want to be. Do you? 

Other then those highlights, my week was pretty normal. We were walking around last night and noticed a less active that we have been trying to meet was outside. Talk about timing right? So, we went over to introduce ourselves and basically met his entire family including his active mother and step father. His mother pulled us aside and told us a bit about him and got a little bit emotional because she blames herself for him not being active. She asked for our number so that she could call us to chat more about how we can help her sons. Its a part member situation and the wife was so sweet. They asked when Trunk or Treat was because they are planning on taking their one year old son to it! Oh the power of church activities! Invite all your friends to trunk or treat this year! Starting last week, every Tuesday we are going to walk a less active ladies dog. Wish it was a cat but ndb. 

Transfers are next Tuesday so I will find out if I am staying or going on Saturday night if I get a phone call. I'll keep you posted about it next week! I hope that you had a great week and that you enjoyed conference! Love you! Miss you!! 

Until next week!

Sister Peterson 

Meet the Mormons

So tomorrow we have a specialized training in Parker with the Parker South Zone and after the meeting we are watching Meet the Mormons!! I am so excited to watch it because dad said that it was so good so I know he's happy about that haha. He told me that I would cry watching the last story, I'll be packing the Kleenex. I'll let you know how it is!

This is super random but there is an LDS chiropractor in Castle Rock that realigns missionaries' spines for free. So, we were down in Castle Rock for a meeting on Friday so four of us sister missionaries went to get all cracked and I thought I was going to die! Especially when he snapped my neck on both sides!

It was almost like a twilight vampire moment. Let's just say that I'm glad to still be here! 

We met one of our referrals this week. He was referred to us by one of his old co-workers who is a member #membermissionarywork. His name is L and he's married with three boys and a little Asian girl that they just adopted from China. He is super nice and took a copy of the Book of Mormon! He said that he's talked to missionaries before but never in that much depth. He goes to a big Christian church in Highlands Ranch and said that he would come to church if we went to his. So, we'll see how that goes!

The General Women's conference was so good!! Did you just love it or what? I especially liked Neil F. Marriott, the sister with the Southern accent, she was a firecracker so naturally I loved her and could relate to her stories. I loved what the one sister said in the temple video to "never stop your steps to the temple". I thought that was a very good way to put it. I like that she said "steps" and not just way or plans or something  like that. I liked that it was an action word. We all need to move our feet and make goals on how we will get to the temple. We had a really nice chat with a less active lady this week. She hasn't been to the temple in years but she is really into family history work. She finds the names and then has her brother and sister-in-law do the work for her. We asked her why she doesn't want to take the names herself and she had a lot of reasons why not. We invited her to make the temple her goal again and to allow us to come back to help prepare her to get a temple recommend. I know that when we love people and are bold with them, that we will naturally want to help them along their spiritual journey.

I am so stoked for General Conference this weekend! It rejuvenates me and I look forward to it every six months! I'm so grateful that mom always bought us journals for us to take notes in. And that she encouraged us to write down questions that we had and to look for the answers as we watch. Its something I still do to this day so thank you for your great example in teaching us that importance, mom! Have you written down any questions for Conference yet?

For the testimony lessons that we have been doing with the young woman, we have been challenging them to hear them to bear their testimonies in fast and testimony meeting. A bunch of girls got up yesterday to do it and we were so proud!! Sister Harrop and I both went up to share our testimony with the ward. I am so grateful for the testimony that I have and that I am able to strengthen it each day by the small and simple things. 

I love you and miss you all! I pray for you every day. Please share the gospel with those around. You never know who needs to hear your unique testimony! You are all so great and I am lucky to have each of you in my life. You bless me with your support and strength. Have a great and safe week! Happy Fall and October! :)

Love from Lone Tree, 

Sister Peterson 

SHOUT OUTS!

Jennerz, happy twentieth birthday on Friday! You're just growing up waaayy too fast! Don't party too hard, girl! Wait for me for to do that ;) Love and miss you pookie!! Study hard in rexy!

Happy birthday to Adie on Thursday! GIRL you need to write me haha. (make sure she sees this okay?) Love you still! Stay strong and do good things! I'm praying for you! 

 CONGRATS to Thomas on getting engaged!! And also to Matt on being called as the first counselor in the bishopric! 

pic: some of the sisters in the zone at the women's conference! 

You Never Know How Much Good You Do

What a crazy week! It went by super fast! Does anyone else agree with that? It was a good week full of road trips to the springs, exchanges and a wedding in Parker. We have had a few testimony lessons with more of the young women in the ward. We made some cute handouts for it so its been fun to do! I love working with the youth :) They invited us to the laurel's activity on Wednesday for a Q & A and to make nutella recipes. I'M SO THERE ITS INSANE. We finally got a hold of one of the less active laurels! We had lunch with her and her non-member boyfriend who is sort of interested in what we believe in. It was awesome to get to know Bianca, she's a sweet girl!

 

So, update on J the lady that we were helping move for a few months. She has a brain tumor and is going through nasty chemotherapy. Sadly she moved out of the mission so we can't go see her :( The sisters in her new ward are visiting her so that's good. She still wants to get baptized and take the lessons from Sister Harrop and I but she is just so sick that it wouldn't be anytime soon. We know that God knows her heart and her intentions. Its just so sad because they don't know how much time she has left. There is also a lady in our ward, T that is back in the hospital for the millionth time and they don't know what's wrong and how much longer she has either because its just the same problems over and over again. Its a sad time for sure but a comforting one at the same time because we know where they will be going. I am grateful that our loving Father in Heaven has given us His plan for each of us so that we don't need to wonder what will happen after this life. My heart goes out to Aunt Barb and her sister. I know that you will see her again someday and that you won't ever have to leave each other again. I am sooo blessed to know that and to have a testimony of the Plan of Salvation. I am grateful for my knowledge that life continues and that death is not the end. It brings me so much comfort and peace.

 

Do you remember that African man, R? The double amputee? He would come to our ward with his girlfriend, R who was returning back to activity. Sister Bjarnason and I would teach him in gospel principles each week. So he actually lives in Aurora which is in another mission but we just found out yesterday that HE IS GETTING BAPTIZED ON SATURDAY!! How awesome is that?! We want to try to get permission to go but we will see what happens. Its just another testimony to me that it doesn't matter where the baptism takes place. The important thing is that they are on the path to return to live with our Father in Heaven again. Its just neat to think that we were able to help him in any way to reach that decision. You really never know who you are helping! Which reminds me! Okay so there's a new Mormon message out as of a few days ago! (Yeah, Sister Harrop and I are kind of obsessed with Mormon messages....don't judge!) But its called "you never know" and its kind of like this mini movie about this woman who has this huge to-do list and how there never seems to be enough time in the day to get everything done. And at the end of the video it shows her sitting on her couch crying because of her stressful day where she thinks she didn't get enough done but then it shows the lives of all the people that she came in contact with that day and how she helped them. At the time, she didn't know how much she helped those people out and she may never know but it was a good message about how we really do never know how much we influence the lives of us around us. It was inspired by a talk given by President Hinckley called "To the Women of the Church" Its an excellent talk that everyone should read! He says “You never know. You never know whether you do any good. You never know how much good you do.” Here's the link so go watch it!! And remember that you do enough and that your best is good enough :) 

http://www.mormonchannel.org/video/mormon-messages?v=3792885561001&cid=HPFR091914425

 

I came across this sweet website on lds.org called "smallandsimpletruths.com". Its a blog run by teenagers in Utah. Maybe it would be a good youth activity to talk about because they write about our standards and why they keep them. I thought it was a cute little site that would be fun for Hays to take a look at. I also found this link about the youth temple challenge. Check it out! Is our ward doing this? https://www.lds.org/topics/family-history/temple-challenge?lang=eng

 

In the ward, we're getting ready to start a 40 day fast soon. Its when each family in the ward picks a day to fast for missionary opportunities and then they have us over for dinner to break their fast. We'll share a message with them and ask them how their fast went. We are really hoping that it will get the ward excited about missionary work and we're hoping to see miracles come from it!

 

Well that's about it from me for this week. I am enjoying myself and the mission! I am just so grateful to be here and to learn and grow as much as I have. I wouldn't be who I am without being here serving the Lord and I know that I have a ton more of learning and growing to do! Still trying to figure out how to be perfect... I'll let you know when I do. I hope that you are all happy and safe! I pray for you every day and hope that you are sharing the gospel with others! Mom and dad were BEASTS this week by going to MONTCO and sharing our beliefs with the people there!!! My parents are amazing and I am soo proud and impressed!! :) Step it up sisters hahaha I love you!!!!!

 

xoxo

Sister Peterson

 

pics: Just on an important call with President Monson. I got called as the new AP. Don't act too surprised ;)

reppin AZ swag for Ami, Matt and Leah! Those license plats are legit everywhere!