Letter # 33

Elder Peterson on his way to Kidwelly Castle
March 2, 2015

Dear Mum and Family,

I just have to say that time is flying super-fast.  I can't believe that it has already been 7 months since I have left home.  I have had a hard time thinking about how fast it is really going and I am sure that it is the same for all of you.  It sounds like everyone is doing really well and you are all working hard in school and you are excited for it to be over.  It is crazy how the weather is right now back home and I am sure that you are all enjoying being outside and being in the nice weather.

I am really excited for today because after we are done emailing we are catching a bus with the other Elders here in Llanelli and we are going to the Kidwelly castle. It is going to be a lot of fun and I am really excited because it is a really nice day today.  Don't worry I will make sure that I take a lot of photos for you mum because I know how much you like photos especially when I am not in them. haha

I will have to admit that it has been a really hard week this week for us. It has been really tiring and pretty frustrating and stressful at the same time.  We have been doing a ton of finding and talking to everyone that we see on the streets.  It has been hard because no one is listening to us and when they do listen to us they don't want to learn anymore.  It is frustrating because people are confused and they don't know that what we are talking about can really help them in their life and it can truly bring eternal happiness and peace in their lives.  We really haven't been doing any teaching because we don't have any solid investigators that want to listen at this time.  I don't know why it is so hard to find people that are prepared to hear the Gospel at this time, but we are still going to work hard.  We are trying our best to find the right people and to say the right things to them so that they will be interested.  It is all about listening to the spirit and following what it tells us to do.

Mum it is pretty interesting that you have asked about family history.  I didn't know that you were into that kind of stuff.  haha It’s funny that you ask because I have an assignment for you.  There is an Elder that I went on exchange with this last week and we talked a little bit about family history.  He was looking at his chart the other day and he noticed a name that really stuck out to him.  The name is Leona Maude Peterson.  He asked if we are related to that person in anyway and I look at the chart that I have and I couldn't find that name.  So if you want to, which I am sure that you would love to, you can see if we are related to her.  If we are then we could be related to Elder Houghton who is the missionary that I went on exchange with.  I just thought that was funny that you asked about family history and I actually had a moment this week where I did have a family history moment.  Usually people don't really talk to us about family history. I know that the ward does it quite a lot, but it is usually the older people on the street that we talk to who aren't members that do family history.  I haven't talked to too many people that do it, but there are some people that do.

I don't know who I am going to give that tie tack to yet.  I don't know of really anyone who likes playing golf, but I am sure that there will be someone that I run into that would like it.  You will have to tell Chelsey thanks for the great snowflakes that she sent me.  I really enjoy them because we have no snow.  I hope that she made some for you guys though because you don't have any snow either.
I have had three zone conferences since I have been out on my mission.  They are great and I always learn a lot of great things from them.  I don't know quite how often they are because I know one of them was for Christmas, but I know they aren't too often.

 Caden: I hope that you are getting a lot of merit badges done at the POW WOW even though you think that it is really boring.  I remember going to the POW WOW and I thought the same way you are that it is actually pretty boring.  It is a good way to get some merit badges done fast.  Even though you don't like it too much keep going strong and working hard.

Chelsey:  You asked what we do on Pdays….On Pdays after emailing we usually go shopping for our food that we need for the next week and then we just do whatever we want.  Most of the time we just relax in the flat or just walk around the shopping center.

Lyndsey: I don't know why you ask all of these weird questions because they are kind of pointless.  Just so you know the UK is a first world country so it is really not that different than America.  I have no idea what way the toilet flushes. I haven't had a bloody nose my whole mission. Yes they have electricity and no I don't have to shower with a bucket.  They do have working showers with drains and the water is warm. They do have stop light and the red is on top.  Also just so you know I did know that the keep calm stuff did start here.  I do see it quite often.

Dad: I started to laugh when you said the Kenny got called to the Sunday School Presidency.  Haha I have to admit that I wouldn't have even guessed that he would get that calling.  I am sure that he will do a great job though I just hope things get done. Haha
You know how it says that in some scriptures you can change the names to yours to better apply them to yourself.  Well I have done that with
 2 Samuel 12:7
“And Mike said to Jordan, Thou art the Man.”  haha

Well I don't really have much more to say so I guess I will share my thought for this week.  I want to share it on change and repentance.  Dallin H. Oaks says: “The Gospel of Jesus Christ challenges us to change.  Repent is its most frequent message and repenting means giving up all of our practice- personal, family, ethnic, and national- that are contrary to the commandments of God. The purpose of the gospel is to transform common creatures into celestial citizens, and that requires change."  I think that sometimes we all forget that we are all human that we all make mistakes.  Sometimes we see some people and say "they don't make any mistakes they are perfect."  If we were to actually live in their life we would see that everyone makes mistakes. We need to remember that the Atonement is there for the mistakes that we make.  With the Atonement we can be forgiven of our transgressions.  Boyd K. Packer said: “Just as chalk can be removed from a chalkboard, with sincere repentance the effects of our transgressions can be erased through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.  That promise applies in every case."  There is nothing that we cannot be forgiven of no matter how bad it is.  Christ knows exactly how we feel and knows exactly how to help us.  I hope that you can all use the Atonement and that you can always ask God for forgiveness.  I know that you will all be forgiven as you do your best to repent and to work hard to not do it again.

Thank you all for all the wonderful letters that you sent.  I hope that you all have a great week.  I love you all!
Love,
Elder Peterson