June 17, 2013

HELLO!! I have BIG news this week! Transfer calls came..... and we are both... STAYING! Okay, so that is not the big news... the big news is that we are getting another companion! That's right my first trio!!!! But the fun doesn't end there!!!....... She is brand new! That's right! DOUBLE TRAINING!!!!!! What?! Yes! Have I ever heard of this before, no! But it is real and happening here in San Angelo! I have heard of a trainer getting two at the same time, but not a new one half way through! So Onward Christian Soldiers!  All I know is her name. And she'll be here Wednesday! She is probably on the plane right now!

 

It was so sweet because after we got off the phone Sister C had tears in her eyes and I went and hugged her and asked what was wrong and she said that she didn't want things to change and that she didn't want to share me!!! Most adorable thing ever!! But we talked, and discussed how she felt when she first came on the mission and how Sister P will need all the love and support that we can give her, and we are all on board and excited for this next adventure!

 

Yes we will need a new pillowcase haha jk, and yes I am so glad Sister C and I are staying together! I feel good about this all, but I also can't believe it!  

 

Happy Fathers Day daddio! I miss you lots and am so glad you had a nice relaxing day!!

Isn't Colt's birthday this week? Happy Birthday big boy!!! There will be something for you in the mail xoxo

 

Things have been good this week, we contacted alot of those potential investigators, and about 6 of them dropped us! :( Which is really sad, because we love them, but we are separating the wheat from the tares, and are searching for those that will receive us, and who are ready to accept the truth! So we are excited, and like that people will at least be upfront so that we don't waste time!

 

Also we met with the "goosebumps" guy again last night! The Spirit is amazing and lead us to go try him even though we knew it was his work hours, and since his mom is in the hospital he just so happened to be home right when we came!! We had a lesson with him, and Heavenly Father loves him, and each of His children so much! We have another appointment on Tuesday we are excited!

 

This work is amazing or shall I call it missionary fun like they said at conference right?!

 

I love you all and here is a picture of the pretty sky here!!! Miss you love you! Keep on keeping on!! Xoxo

 

 

we may or may not have had a brilliant idea and made the pillow cases into skirts.....

apparently we are desperate for clothes!! 

the volleyball crew, minus 2.

June 10, 2013

Howdy!

 

What a crazy busy week this has been! The field here is very white and ready to harvest! We have been busy little bees trying to get all our appointments organized and people to see. Right now we have a list of 34 potential investigators!! These are all people we talked to once who are interested!! It is such a joy to be working here and with Sister C. She is a hard worker and it is good to be serving with her!

 

San Angelo is HOT it is true, and humid which I am so not used to. Not bad humid and people here say it is unusually humid here this year, but that is because we have been having rain a few days a week! Which I keep praying for- and maybe in the wrong way because I'll be honest: it is not for the land- any day that He will give us without the 104 degree temps I will be happy! And the other fun thing that comes with the rain is the lightning/thunderstorms. I like those except when they wake us up at night because they are so loud/bright!! It is an adventure and very fun to be here!

 

Oh for fun: A sister just got her mission call in our ward and guess where she is going?! Twin Falls, Idaho Spanish Speaking!! She got her call and leaves 16 days later! I am glad I had more time than that! But it is so fun to feel her excitement! (she is excited for potatoes up there, too haha)

 

They have a new calling in the mission: it is a leadership calling for the sisters. Called: Sister Training Leaders. Sister D from American Fork is the one for our area of the mission. She is currently serving in Monahans with none other than Sister S. So when she called 2 weeks ago to set up exchanges I was nervous knowing I would have to spend half the day with Sister S. Well the day came this last week (and honestly with all the people in this area we could use permanently another set of hands). And I told Sister Smith that I was sorry things were hard during training and we had a very nice conversation where she said that she cannot imagine all that I went through training right after being trained. We talked about the good times that we had and it was good closure. I was glad for that opportunity. (Sister R called me later in the week cuz they came and saw them and she said that Sister S told her that she feels bad that we could have been friends) But things are good there now, and I am glad for all I've been through to help me be the person I am now and to help me be the person Heavenly Father wants me to be!

 

I love you all! Pray for cooler temps for me! Haha

xoxo Sister P.

June 3, 2013

Hello!

 

We email here at the public library but last week we went to Angelo State University campus. They were still open.

 

Well we are LOVING San Angelo still! We did have a tornado watch last week, but it just meant we had to stay home. I was a bit freaked because I feel like I need to protect my little comp, but we learned we go in the bathtub and put mattresses on top of us so life is good! haha no biggie! I just pray that we still have these overcast days because Texas is HOTTTTTTTT!!!

 

Well this week was a goodie! C was baptized on Saturday and it was a very very spiritual baptism. She was crying in the font, and the Spirit was so strong. Since C had been working on baptism for a while she really understood the importance and it was just beautiful! And then yesterday we had a WONDERFULLLY amazing day! First off because of job schedules and deaths we weren't expecting anyone at church and then S, a guy we talked to once in his driveway and gave him a Book of Mormon came! We had an appointment with him but his girlfriend said he wasn't home... as we walked away she said, "oh but he has been reading that book you gave him!!" We thought he blew us off and now this!! So exciting! And we got 2 new ward missionaries: Sisters!! And they are both SO SO EXCITED! Just what we prayed for and need! One of them even went up in testimony meeting and said she had been praying for more missionary experiences and they got this calling!! We are so excited! The ward is really involved and we have a really good, close relationship with the Relief Society president and she is working hand in hand with us and some less active sisters! It is so so wonderful!!

 

(ps Doc has fallen off the face of the earth- I keep telling myself and Sister C. that he is out of the country because we have no idea why he went MIA...)

 

PS best investment ever made as a missionary! Typing class!! I can write longer letters! Yay! haha

 

I love you all!

sister P! 

May 27, 2013

Hello Family!!

It was a good week for email, I've heard from everyone in the family but little Carmen, but mom said they just came home from California today.

 

Oh we had a little mix up at the mission office about our apartment, so if you could put on the blog that if they are getting letters back because it says it didn't have our apartment number or wrong address, just send it to the mission home again. We've got it figured out now.

This week has been a good one. We had a tornado watch earlier this week and so we had to spend the night at our apartment. Crazy right? I read up on what to do in a tornado and as much fun as I thought it sounded after watching Twister, I think I'd really rather pass than end up in OZ. Crazy days!

 

We had a really cool lesson this past week with a less active lady. We had been planning her lesson, and the Spirit prompted to teach tithing. I thought this was really random, and I was kinda nervous because I had no idea if she already paid tithing or what. But as we went to the lesson we brought out the tithing and fast offering pamphlet and she immeadiately said that she feels like she finally is ready to pay tithing!! That her trust had been broken by other churches before she converted, but after seeing all the good that the church is doing in Oklahoma she said it had been on her mind for the past few days. We testified that Heavenly Father knows her and that He was preparing her, and of the blessings that come from this principle. It was really cool, and I am so grateful to be able to see all these miracles. Missionary work is really so rewarding!

 

Sister C and I are doing well. She is learning really quickly and she is such an amazing missionary. Her past is so different than mine, and I am grateful for people along my way, that I know or else I might not be as understanding. Such as in her house growing up, they are not allowed to use the microwave. Did I tell you she was homeschooled? And she is so sweet and grateful that I am able to explain things to her, since she also didn't ever watch TV, so sometimes she doesn't know what people are talking about. She had no idea about the Book of Mormon Play, or how Mormons are made fun of on Southpark. Or like how the FLDS are from a town that is like 30 minutes away from here. She didn't know anything about that. But she is ready to learn and grow, and I am grateful for that.

 

Life is good, today is cloudy and I keep praying for more days like this because when it is 104 outside it doesn't make me want to do about anything! Haha But what an adventure!

 

I love you all! Thanks for all your support and prayers!

 

Love Sister Peterson!

May 20, 2013

Hello Family! 

What a week this has been! We are loving San Angelo... well most of it at least: IT IS HOT HOT HOT!!! We have had temperatures reaching up to about 104! I bathe in sunscreen and drink about a bath tub of water everyday too! But the work is hastening- we are busy and loving it!

I'll share two miracle stories from the week:

The first one is that there is this man we call Doc, because well he is a doctor. He saw the Spanish elders about 3 months ago and stopped them and told them he wanted to come to church. The Spanish elders passed his info on... and we aren't sure what happened but he was never contacted and apparently fell through the cracks. Then one of the SAME elders saw him this past week and went over to talk to him, well Doc said that he was never contacted!! So the elders passed his info onto us! We called him and he told us how he already believes a lot of our beliefs and that he has had a Book of Mormon in his library and occasionally would pick it up to read it and everytime he does- he has the impression that he needs to ask about it!! He asked all about church and he had left us a message adn in it said that he was looking maybe for membership in our church!!!! GOLDEN MIRACLE!!! He wasn't able to make it out due to patients yesterday, but we are so excited to meet with him!

 

Then another miracle from this week is when we were trying a referral at an apartment complex, and after we talked to that guy we were walking back to the car and there was a guy in front of us turning the corner. So we asked him if we could give him a card for a free dvd about Jesus Christ. He said yes and we invited him to church. He said that he hasn't been in 6 years- and as the conversation progressed I testified of our Father in Heaven's love for him and that God sent us there that day to talk to him. He then said that he was just inside his apartment watching tv when a commercial came on and he felt that he needed to come outside. He said he had no idea why he came outside and then he held up his arm and said, "Look, I have goosebumps!" We testified again and told him that was the Spirit. We have an appointment with him later on this week!

 

I am so grateful for the Holy Ghost that is preparing these people, and leading us to them! It is amazing how many miracles happen everyday: especially as Sister C and I make a point to look for them.

 

We had interviews earlier this week, and I was also able to see Sister R! Love that lady to death! She is a hoot and a half, and I am so glad she is in my zone still! Interviews went well, I am so grateful for President and Sister A's love. They are so supportive as I am training again, in a brand new area. But things are going really well here.

 

I was sad to hear about Sister Monson, we didn't hear about it until church Sunday.

I love you all! xoxoxo

Sister P.

May 13, 2013

Hello Everyone!

It was so fun to talk to the fam yesterday and I missed the rest of the clan, but it was so fun to talk. The kids all sound like they are getting so big and I can't even stand it! But it was a highlight that little Madolyn would sing disney and primary songs to me! That was so fun!

Well we made it alive to San Angelo, and we arrived and I had to ask myself if we were still in Texas! It is a green wonderland here! I now know what all these Texans were talking about when they tell me that they are glad they don't have Utah's mountains because they feel claustrophobic! I am afraid I'm getting that way too, and was totally confused that I couldn't see through all the trees! People here say just this past week has been unusually wet, and we did get lakes of rainwater in the streets. It has definitely been an adventure from day one arriving here! Even the bus ride down here was an adventure when we found out we had a car we had to drive from Odessa. But we made is safe and sound, and have a big nice apartment. It is brand new, so no elders or even sisters there before! (thank heavens for the beds!) and the bedroom has a walk in closet big enough to put a twin bed in and still have room! We have had quite the adventure here, getting completely lost almost everyday, and having car headlight troubles: finding where to get it fixed and finding out the car had to have the whole bumper removed! But things have settled down, and we are feeling more adjusted especially since we were able to go and meet the ward at church yesterday. We share this ward with a set of elders, and apparently this is the biggest ward in the area of San Angelo! The goal is to help San Angelo become it's own stake because currently they travel to Abilene. We are working hard and Sister C is awesome and so hard working and I am loving it! We are already teaching a 24 year old and her mother. She prayed out loud for the first time in her life and the elders showed up! They are Spanish elders so they passed them off to us, and we have seen her the past 3 days. I am so grateful for this call to serve here, and I already love the area and see SO MUCH POTENTIAL! Miracles will happen.

Ok so update on Sister C. She is from Gillette, Wyoming. She is the middle child, and a twin. He is in Mississippi on his mission currently. She was homeschooled for most of her life, but not in the weird social way- but in the sheltered innocent way. She is the definition of the word sincere. She is 19 and I have never my whole mission been asked how old I am as much as with her. Honestly EVERY teaching appointment someone asks us how old we are. She just is the sweetest. She really worries that she isn't doing enough and I keep having to remind her to be patient with herself. She wants to be able to know everything right now, and compares herself to me. I keep telling her that I have been doing this for 10 months, and that she has only been out 5 days. She just wants to change the world right this second and make her impact and I love it! She also worries that she doesn't belong being so young, but man this rising generation! She is stellar! I keep telling her the elders have always come out at 19, so not to worry one second! I really love her, and am so grateful to be able to be here with her. She is so sweet and supportive.

We also had a really hard time saying goodbye to all the people in Lubbock I have grown to love, but we see how great it will be for the elders to work that area. We really think they will make a huge impact. But it was so amazing to me to see how attached we grew and they grew to us! Sister R and I already decided road trip it up when she gets home in March!

I love you all! xoxoxo Happy mothers day and Baptism day! 

 

May 6, 2013

Hello Hello! So much to say, so little time! 

We got transfer calls on Saturday night and shocker of the century I am TRAINING again! And that's not the most shocking part! The most shocking part is that I am being transferred also! New area, new new companion, and a new adventure! All I know is that her name is Sister C and that we will be serving in the San Angelo 1st ward. There is already a set of missionaries there: but they are splitting the area and we are the north side! I am very excited but feel like my to-do list is as tall as I am, especially since I honestly had no idea this would be happening! It also adds to the list that Sister R is being transferred out of the area here too!! So it is a deep-cleaning, organizing, detailed process we have to make sure everything is ready for the ELDERS they are bringing in! Yep, elders- which the ward hasn't had here for a really long time! But we think that it is just what our investigators and less actives need. It should be good, and we know it is inspired! 

Sister R and I are sad to not be companions anymore, but we see the growth that now can take place. Just as you get comfortable, you know that a change is coming! The fun thing is though that she will be in my same zone in San Angelo, so I will see her at zone conferences and such. She is a character, but a good character! I love her, and hope that my new companion and I get along just as well! 

I feel like I am more prepared and understanding this go-round of training. It is always a bit nerve racking because you have no idea what she will be like. When you have transfers usually you have heard of your companion before, and can usually put a face to their name. But we will have a half day together tomorrow with Sister R before we all go on the transfer bus on Wednesday to San Angelo. (oh I don't think I've ever mentioned the transfer bus because I've never been on it! -since the mission is so big they rent a baptist owned tour bus to drive up the mission one day picking up missionaries, and down the next day- it shall be an adventure!)

When we found out both of us are leaving our hearts broke for the 2 less actives we are working closely with! We are having dinner tomorrow with the one, and last night after an amazing lesson this other family we are working with: she prayed at the end out loud for the first time in her whole life! Tears were shed, and yet again more tears when we told them we are leaving. I know God is in charge and that He will take care of them, but it is still hard when you have to leave. 

Also yesterday was a special Stake Conference. Elder Valenzuela of the 70 came and spoke to us after having a special meeting down in Dallas with Elder Cook. This was Elder V's third talk in English in his WHOLE LIFE! It was a great meeting focused on missionary work, and God's love for each one of us. We had an investigator there for her first time. We had been stopping by on her for about 2 months, and finally she had work of and came and after the meeting we asked her how she liked it and she said that it was so interesting to her that with all the things people say about our church, that of all the different church services she has been to in her life that that was the least judgmental service she has ever been to! She said she was sad to have finally come when we are leaving, but we think the elders will be really good for her husband! 

It was a good week! I love you all.Talk to you Sunday! Love Sister P.