Letter # 29

Elder Peterson & Elder Shaw
1/22/2015

Castle in Wales
12/27/2014

Wales
1/21/2015

Dear Mum and Family,
It sounds like you all had a blast with the Book of Mormon activity that you have had as a ward.  I really miss going to that because you can learn a lot of great things from the Book of Mormon from just reading it cover to cover.  I have really enjoyed studying from it every morning and I have learned so much from it and I can't believe how the Lord really blesses us.  By just reading it for an hour a day in the morning I have learned so much and I know that the Lord blesses us if we just put in the effort and we show him that we do really want to learn from it.  I love sharing what I have learned from my studies in the morning with everyone that we talk to throughout our day and I know that it is helping those around me.  So I have a strong testimony on how studying the scriptures each day can truly help you and others.

I am glad that you liked the name of my bike.  I was thinking one day about Logan Jensen when I was writing a letter to the Jensen’s and I remember him telling us that he named his scooter.  I thought that was a great idea so I named my bike. It was hard to come up with such a great name though.  I struggled with so many names that I thought would work and they didn't.  I then thought of Scarlet because there is a rugby team based here in Llanelli and they are called the Scarlets.  I thought that that name fits really well so I named my bike scarlet and she is the best.  I hope that you all agree that that is the perfect name. Haha

S**** is doing really well and she is still learning a lot and being the best investigator that there is.  She is not married, but she does have a couple of daughters that are married along with some grandkids.  She told us the other day that one of her daughters might be interested in learning about the Gospel so we are going to continue to talk with her about it and get in contact with her daughter. 

We are still doing a lot of tracting and we have found a few families that might be interested.  We have set up some appointments for this week to hopefully teach them more.  The weather is really cold and wet still because it is still the winter months.  But I have really enjoyed my mission and working as hard as I can even if the weather is horrible or the people aren't as friendly as I want them to be. When we find someone that might be interested I look back and tell myself that this one person was worth every slammed door, or worth every minute that we are out in the cold pouring rain.  I am enjoying every second of my mission because it is going super-fast.  Think about it I am at 6 months already.  How crazy is that?  All I can say is time flies when you are having the best time of your life spreading this wonderful gospel that we are so blessed to be a part of.

I have figured out some goals that I want to have for my mission.  Do you want me to send you those or do you want me to figure some out just for this year?

The talk last week went really well and the ward is really into using the missionaries which I think is really nice.  We don't have to give a lot of talks, but we have been asked a couple of times to give a lesson in Young Women or in Elders quorum.  I have really enjoyed every opportunity that I am asked to do something like that because while I prepare for the lessons or the talks I learn a lot of great things and I love sharing those things with others because I know that it can help them.
Thanks for the great genealogy trivia that you sent me I really liked doing it.  Even though I haven't been in school for a while it didn't take me too long to think about it and understand it, but it is still mind blowing.  Maybe you are making me think too much my brain is starting to hurt just a little bit. Haha

The thought that I would like to share with you guys go along with our purpose in life. It is from Richard G Scott:
"God's purpose is to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.  That is fundamental to all we do.  Sometimes we get so wrapped up in things that we find fascinating or become so consumed by mundane responsibilities that we lose sight of God's objectives. As you consistently focus your life on the most basic principles, you will gain an understanding of what you are to do, and you will produce more fruit for the Lord and more happiness for yourself."

As I was thinking about this thought the other day I noticed how important it is just to focus on the basic things of the gospel.  I have talked to many missionaries that look for answers to ridiculous questions like “Do the pearly gates swing in or out?” Now they aren't that ridiculous, but I hope that you get the point.  They are trying to find too deep of stuff that doesn't really pertain to our salvation.  So by focusing on the basic principles like Faith in Jesus Christ, his atonement, Repentance, baptism, the Holy Ghost, Enduring the End, etc.  We come to find more of our purpose and what we need to do on this earth so that we can return to our Father in Heaven someday. I hope that you can all get something from this and that you will all find the love of learning more about the gospel and coming to know God's purpose and our purpose while we are here on the earth.
I hope that you all have a great week this week. 
Love,
Elder Peterson