Monday, January 5, 2015

Letter # 25

Dear Mum and Family,

From reading all of your letters it sounds like you have all had a great New Years and that you stayed up late and had a lot of fun.  We really didn't do a lot of partying because we had to be in at 6 for our safety.  I am sure a lot of people wouldn't have wanted to talk to us anyway because they were all busy with their families partying.  So I guess it was better for us to be in.  We were super tired so after we cleaned the flat and worked on our Area book a little we went to bed and slept right through the New Year.  It is kind of weird because it doesn't even feel like it is 2015 but I think that is because I am not home partying with you guys.  It is a lot of fun being here in England though so don’t think that I don't like it.

We met with S**** this last week and the lesson went really great.  We taught her the Plan of Salvation and she said that she understood it all.  She is super excited to be baptized and she wants to be baptized on the date that we have set and that is the 24 January.  In order to make this date we will have to teach her about 3 times a week and she has agreed with it so we will be seeing her quite often.  I can really tell that she has been prepared by the Lord to hear the Gospel at this time and it is really cool to see her testimony grow.

We have not talked with the priest who we met that goes to the Pentecostal church. We have thought about it and really he doesn't want to learn at all.  We invited him to our church and he said that he doesn't want to come and we think that he is trying to convert us which of course won't happen.  

Now that it is the New Year and everyone has slowed down in a way we should be teaching more people now.  We have talked to a few of our investigators and we have set up some appointments to meet with them soon.  I can't wait to do more teaching now rather than so much finding.  Finding is fun don't get me wrong but we have been doing so much of it that I think it is about time to do something different.  I am sure we will still be doing a lot of finding though.
Today we will be playing rugby with A**** who is that 14 year old boy who really loves sports.  I am excited to play because we will not be playing soccer which is a blessing.  I really am getting sick of playing it and hearing about it all the time.  We are going to be playing a little bit of rugby and maybe some American Football.  He knows quite a lot about American Football because of the past missionaries that have been here.  Every time we see him he is always telling me the latest news and asking lots of questions about it.  It's about time I find someone here in the UK that likes American Football!

I don't understand the Welsh language but I have been able to get use to the people and how fast they talk.  There are some people that still talk super-fast but I will have to agree with you Mom that Lyndsey has definitely prepared me.  When I get back I bet I will be the only one who understands Lyndsey because I would have had more practice than you all.  It is a different language though and I don't think that I will ever learn it.  I am sure that I will have some words that I will know by the time I leave Wales. Everything is going great here in the good old country of Wales.  I guess I could say that I have settled into the new area. I know my way around pretty well.  There are something’s that I don't quite know where they are, but it's crazy how fast you adjust to a new area and you get to know your way around.  It is a great area and I have really enjoyed meeting new people especially the ward members.  This is a great ward in this area they really care for the missionaries and for missionary work. I can't believe how much food they give us and how much they feed us.  We really don't buy a lot of food on P-day because the members feed us so well. 

It sounds like there have been a few changes in the ward since I have left and I really haven't been gone that long.  It sounds like they have been some great changes though and it sounds like there is such a great Bishopric still in the ward even though Dave has left.  I am sure Brother Austin will do a great job in his calling because he is such a great guy.  I can't wait to see how much it changes by the time I get back.  Who knows maybe I will be speaking in a totally different ward. (Not because you have moved to St. George or anywhere else of course)

Caden: It sounds like the skating rink is up and running and that you are really enjoying it.  I bet you go up there every day that mom lets you.  I bet you are getting really good and I hope that you are enjoying it.  It sounds like it is really cold too over there.  I hope that you have a great week. You will have to tell mom to let you go skating every day for me. 

Chelsey: It sounds like you really enjoyed your New Year Celebration. I can't believe that you stayed up until 3.  That is too late.  You should have gone to bed earlier because you are too young to be staying up that late.  It sounds like you had a fun time though.  I hope that you have caught up on your sleep so that you can go back to school and learn a lot of new things.  I hope that you have fun at school because I don't get to have fun at school anymore.

Lindsee: It sounds like you had a great New Year’s party and that you stayed up super late.  I think that you sleep so much because you don't go to bed early.  Maybe if you went to bed when you were supposed to you wouldn't be sleeping all of the time.  That is just a little word of advice from me.  I bet you are super excited to graduate from High School and to turn 18, but guess what I am 19!!!  Hahaha
Because we are so close to the sea we don't have any snow right now.  We do get quite a bit of rain and it rains almost every day.  Most of the people we talk to say that when it does snow it snows about the end of January or the beginning of February.  But who knows apparently they didn't get any snow last year so I could go without it this year. And when it does snow it doesn't last very long at all and the whole town shuts down so I kind of want to see that. 
I have not seen anyone here with gardens yet.  They usually call their front and back yards gardens so that is kind of different,  but they don't have any gardens where they are growing vegetables or anything like that. 
Their couches and their bed are like the ones back home.  I don't know why you ask all of these weird questions, because the things here in England are pretty much the same as in the states. But then again you are pretty weird so it doesn't surprise me that you are asking such weird questions.
I hope that you have a great week and that you enjoy going back to school!!! Hahaha

Dad: Caden told me that he has really enjoyed spending some time up at the ice rink this year.  You will have to go and play against him so that he can have a challenge when he plays.  I am sure he is really enjoying it and that he is getting good at it. Hopefully it doesn't warm up, so that it doesn't melt it because that is the worst.

Thank you for the great thoughts that you shared with me I really enjoyed it.  The thought that I wanted to share with you guys I actually found this morning in my studies.  I was reading from one of the Ensigns and it was a General Conference talks.  
I read one of the messages from Russell M Nielson about faith.  I think it was titled "Show your faith." Don't quote me on that though. 

In part of his talk he talks about how we need to have faith in the right things. He says: "We might ask ourselves, where is our faith? Is it in a team? Is it in a brand? Is it in a celebrity? Even the best teams fail. Celebrities can fade.  There is only one in whom faith is always safe, and that is in the Lord Jesus Christ. And you need to let your faith show."

So we need to have that faith in Jesus Christ.  I have done a lot of studying on Faith this past week and I have learned a lot of great things.  I have learned that faith centered on Jesus Christ equals salvation.  Faith is the first principle of the Gospel and it is one of the most important principles.  We need to have faith in Christ and we need to not be shy when people ask us about our faith or when our faith is tested.  President Monson Says: “Of course we will face fear, experience ridicule, and meet opposition. Let us have the courage to defy the consensus, the courage to stand for principle. Courage, not compromise, brings smile of God's approval.... 
Remember that all men have their fears, but those who face their fears with faith have courage as well."

I hope that you all find the importance of faith and that when your faith is tested that you have courage to stand up for your beliefs.  I don't know about you but I would rather stand with God in the dark and hard times than to stand alone in the light at easy times.

I hope that you all have a great week and that you all enjoy going back to school. I will admit that I do miss going to school, but at the same time it is kind of nice to have a 2 year break.  I hope that you have all enjoyed your break.
Love,
Elder Peterson 

P. S. Mom I do think that you are a Posh Mom.  Also I don't know how I am going to send some pictures to you, but I will try and find out a way. 

No comments:

Post a Comment

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.