Hello Utah Mum and Family,
I would like to start off by saying that I am super excited to Skype you all on Mother’s day which is May 23rd. I can't believe that we still have a few more weeks, but I am really sure that it will go fast and I am excited to see you all at the end of this next month and see what you have all been up to. I really hope and pray that I will still have a nice American accent because I know that if I don't you probably won't be able to understand me.
Well I can’t wait to tell you the biggest most best news that I have for you this week. So on Wednesday at 3:50 a.m. (That's about 8:50 p.m. on Tuesday for you Americans) we will be catching a train and going to Birmingham for (wait for it) IPAD training!! That's right we will be getting up early and having a long ride to the mission home and we will be getting our IPad sometime before Mother’s day. For some reason I thought that Mother’s day was on the 10th of May, but I now know that it is on the 23rd of May that gives us more time to get them before Mother’s day. I can't wait for the iPads. It is going to be a little different having iPads and doing missionary work with them, but at the same time it is going to help us a lot I believe to help others understand the church more and what we do as missionaries. I hope that you are also all excited for me to be receiving an iPad and I am sure that you are all jealous too.
Well it sounds like you all have had a great week and that you are also getting ready for another camping trip. Because mum tried cheating and used Google translate and typed my email in welsh it didn't quite translate it perfectly so there are a few things that didn't quite make sense and there were a few things that it didn't even translate, but from what I got it sounds like you are all going to the Dam and that there are a few people going with you. I hope that you all have a great time and that you enjoy all of the nice weather. I really hope that it doesn't rain on you while you are up there. Haha
Elder Devitt is a really cool guy and we get along quite well. He has been out for about 22 months and he is still working hard and we are having a great time here in Llanelli. It is still pretty hard and we are still having a hard time finding people who are ready for the gospel, but we are still working hard to find them. We pretty much did a lot of finding again this last week and not much teaching. Sorry that it's kind of boring to hear every week that all we really did was try and find people, but that is really all we do and that's all I got to tell you. We didn't go to the family history thing last week because it was not the most effective thing to do so we just went and played football. Just kidding we didn't play football, but we really didn't go to the Family History activity because we didn't have any investigators that were going.
I do have some pretty exciting news for you all about one of our investigators. I think that I have already told you about R****** and how we found her and she has been progressing really well. We wasn’t able to teach her this last week because we couldn't find any time that worked for her and for us so hopefully we will be able to teach her this week. The exciting news is that she is almost ready to be baptized. I have figured out that if we can teacher her two times this week she will be able to be baptized in about 2 weeks at the earliest. She is so amazing and has really gained a testimony of the gospel and is enjoying coming to church and learning. I am so excited to see her and help her to reach her baptismal date and to be baptized.
Well I really don't have much to say other than I am still excited to talk to you on Skype on the 23rd of May. Before I let you go I will have to share a quote with you. I can't end my letter without one of those.
This week’s quote is a pretty deep quote and I am not going to add anything to the end of it because I want you to think about it and to think of what it means to you.
"If you really knew who you were you would never feel inferior again."
I want you all to think this week who you really are.
I hope that you all have a great week and that you have a lot of fun camping up at the dam. Have some fun but remember that the party doesn't fully start unless I am there.
Love,
Elder Peterson
PS I can't wait to see all your faces on the 23rd of May
Monday, April 27, 2015
Tuesday, April 21, 2015
Letter #40
Dear Mum and Family,
I am sure that you are all wondering where I am now at in the EBM (England Birmingham Mission) and who I am serving with. Well I know a little earlier this time because President Rasmussen has training for Ipads this Wednesday and we are not going to be able to all move around that day. So he has done transfers a little earlier this time and I already have my new companion and I am already in my new area. I have to say that my companion is really cool and I know that we are going to have a great transfer together. My companions name is Elder Devitt. He is from Alpine UTAH. Yes a companion from Utah that is how I know we are going to get along so well because we are both from the same wonderful state. Now I am sure that you are all wondering where I am serving and I am sure that it will be a surprise to you when I tell you. I am still serving in Llanelli Wales and it is a little weird because I will have spent a quarter of my mission in this one area which is a little unusual. I am excited though to be here. And it looks like I will be skyping you from the same area that I did when I Skype on Christmas. That is a little crazy to think about.
Well this past week has been pretty crazy and I have had a great time. It sounds like you all have also had a great time and that you have all enjoyed seeing the 2nd Mall Cop movie. It sounds like it was a great movie and I hope that you are all keeping track of the movies that have come out since I have been gone so that I can watch all of them right when I get back. I told Caden that was his responsibility, but I am sure that you can all help him so that he doesn't forget some of them.
It is good to hear that the family is doing well and that everyone is enjoying themselves. I am sure that everyone is enjoying all of the nice weather that you have been having as much as I am enjoying the nice warm weather that we are having. I have to say that this humidity thing that they have here in the UK is definitely not my thing. It really isn't that warm here, but because of all the humidity I get so hot. Even in a nice short sleeve shirt I get really hot and I can already say that when I am home I probably will not miss the humidity. I remember when I got off of the plane when I first arrived in the mission it was like a punch to the face and I started sweating instantly. Just like the thirty point buck song at night time you slip right off of the bed.
That is really cool that the ward has been doing a lot of Family History. It is also a pretty big thing over here in the UK. I know that this Friday the Llanelli ward is having a Family History night where they are helping people who show up with their family history. I am sure it is going to be a great night and I really hope that lots of people show up to it because it will be a great time to do family history. Outside of the church you hear a good amount of people who actually do family history, but same as back home the church is really pushing family history in the wards and stakes and there are quite a few of family history activities going on every once in a while in the stake.
I am glad to hear that mum is getting really excited to talk to me on Skype sometime soon. I don't know when mother’s day is so I have no idea when I am skyping, but I am sure that I will find out sometime soon. At least I really hope that I find out sometime soon. Just to warn you all I don't have an accent so don't be too disappointed when I speak and I still sounds like an American. One of the first things that Elder Devitt said to me when he first met me was that I have a nice thick American accent and I have had some missionaries think that I was from the south part of North American like Texas or something like that because they say I have such a thick accent. It is really weird I know but I can't help it. I am proud to be an American!!
Well I don't want to keep you too long because I know that you guys don't want to listen to me much longer because you are already dreading speaking to me on mother’s day, whenever that is.
I would like to share a quote with you though from Mother Teresa.
“People are often unreasonable and self-centred. Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.
If you are honest, people may cheat you. Be honest anyway.
If you find happiness, people may be jealous. Be happy anyway.
The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway.
Give the world the best you have and it may never be good enough. Give your best anyway.
For you see, in the end, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway."
I really love this quote because it shows that it doesn't matter what we do as long as we are doing what the Lord would want us to do is all that really matters. I hope that you all try to have a great week and that you be the best you and that you can be.
Have a great week!
Love,
Elder Peterson
I am sure that you are all wondering where I am now at in the EBM (England Birmingham Mission) and who I am serving with. Well I know a little earlier this time because President Rasmussen has training for Ipads this Wednesday and we are not going to be able to all move around that day. So he has done transfers a little earlier this time and I already have my new companion and I am already in my new area. I have to say that my companion is really cool and I know that we are going to have a great transfer together. My companions name is Elder Devitt. He is from Alpine UTAH. Yes a companion from Utah that is how I know we are going to get along so well because we are both from the same wonderful state. Now I am sure that you are all wondering where I am serving and I am sure that it will be a surprise to you when I tell you. I am still serving in Llanelli Wales and it is a little weird because I will have spent a quarter of my mission in this one area which is a little unusual. I am excited though to be here. And it looks like I will be skyping you from the same area that I did when I Skype on Christmas. That is a little crazy to think about.
Well this past week has been pretty crazy and I have had a great time. It sounds like you all have also had a great time and that you have all enjoyed seeing the 2nd Mall Cop movie. It sounds like it was a great movie and I hope that you are all keeping track of the movies that have come out since I have been gone so that I can watch all of them right when I get back. I told Caden that was his responsibility, but I am sure that you can all help him so that he doesn't forget some of them.
It is good to hear that the family is doing well and that everyone is enjoying themselves. I am sure that everyone is enjoying all of the nice weather that you have been having as much as I am enjoying the nice warm weather that we are having. I have to say that this humidity thing that they have here in the UK is definitely not my thing. It really isn't that warm here, but because of all the humidity I get so hot. Even in a nice short sleeve shirt I get really hot and I can already say that when I am home I probably will not miss the humidity. I remember when I got off of the plane when I first arrived in the mission it was like a punch to the face and I started sweating instantly. Just like the thirty point buck song at night time you slip right off of the bed.
That is really cool that the ward has been doing a lot of Family History. It is also a pretty big thing over here in the UK. I know that this Friday the Llanelli ward is having a Family History night where they are helping people who show up with their family history. I am sure it is going to be a great night and I really hope that lots of people show up to it because it will be a great time to do family history. Outside of the church you hear a good amount of people who actually do family history, but same as back home the church is really pushing family history in the wards and stakes and there are quite a few of family history activities going on every once in a while in the stake.
I am glad to hear that mum is getting really excited to talk to me on Skype sometime soon. I don't know when mother’s day is so I have no idea when I am skyping, but I am sure that I will find out sometime soon. At least I really hope that I find out sometime soon. Just to warn you all I don't have an accent so don't be too disappointed when I speak and I still sounds like an American. One of the first things that Elder Devitt said to me when he first met me was that I have a nice thick American accent and I have had some missionaries think that I was from the south part of North American like Texas or something like that because they say I have such a thick accent. It is really weird I know but I can't help it. I am proud to be an American!!
Well I don't want to keep you too long because I know that you guys don't want to listen to me much longer because you are already dreading speaking to me on mother’s day, whenever that is.
I would like to share a quote with you though from Mother Teresa.
“People are often unreasonable and self-centred. Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.
If you are honest, people may cheat you. Be honest anyway.
If you find happiness, people may be jealous. Be happy anyway.
The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway.
Give the world the best you have and it may never be good enough. Give your best anyway.
For you see, in the end, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway."
I really love this quote because it shows that it doesn't matter what we do as long as we are doing what the Lord would want us to do is all that really matters. I hope that you all try to have a great week and that you be the best you and that you can be.
Have a great week!
Love,
Elder Peterson
Monday, April 13, 2015
Letter #39
Dear Mum and Family,
It is good to hear that the Lord cares about Dad and that he is still answering our prayers. Mum that must mean that we are both doing something right in our lives and you can't argue against that one because our prayers were answered so we are doing something right. I really enjoyed looking at the new picture of the truck and I took a good long look at the picture that dad sent me. It looks really nice and I can't wait to take it for a spin in about 16 months. I hope that he doesn't have to get another new one that is a little bigger before I get home. Who am I kidding hopefully he does get a bigger one before I get home.
The weather has actually still been pretty dang nice this past week. It ended off a little cloudy during the weekend, but it has cleared up today and is a really nice weekend so far. I am really enjoying all of the nice weather and I am really enjoying only wearing a white shirt and not having to wear a big coat.
We still have just been doing a lot of finding this past week and we haven't had too much success. We have managed to find one potential that is pretty solid, but he works a lot so it is really hard to find time to meet him. He had a pretty hard time in his life. His fiancé passed away not too long before they were going to get married so he has had some struggles. We did teach him about the Restoration because we really felt that he could use that lesson before the Plan of Salvation lesson. He took it really well and we are hopefully going to be seeing him this next week if he has some time. Other than that we don't have any new investigators and we are just struggling through finding people. It is hard but I don't think that mission is supposed to be easy because if it was then everyone would be doing it.
Easter went pretty well and no I didn't get any chocolate toys. They are some toys that you can buy at the store though. They are called kinder eggs and apparently, according to Elder Shaw, a few of the Elders that were here before me really liked buying them, but they didn't care to take them all with them so they just left them in the flat. It is kind of annoying, but there really isn't anything that I can do about it. I didn't get too much chocolate for Easter. I think that only one member gave us a really big chocolate egg which was pretty interesting. Back home everything is big chocolate bunnies, but over here they do make chocolate bunnies, but it is more common to see chocolate eggs.
I have no idea who the sister missionary is that you are talking about. I can’t remember hearing her last name when I was serving in Sheldon. I do have a sister missionary joke for you though. Why do sister missionaries only serve for 18 months while Elder serve for 2 years?
Because Sisters spend the same amount of money in 18 months as elders do in 2 years. HaHAHAHAHa that was a good one.
I received your package and I really do appreciate all of the nice things that you put in it. I liked the letter and the nice tie and I especially liked the comic book. Everything that is in that book is totally true about missionaries. It is so funny how true it actually is.
I really like the quote that you put on the end of your email mostly because I have related that scripture to football. I hope that you enjoy the quote that I have for you this week. It comes from a really good talk called “Decisions determine destiny" by the Prophet.
He says: “There is no royal road to salvation and exaltation. There is not royal road to success in any endeavor. The "A" grade is the result of each theme, each quiz, each class, each examination, and each term paper. So each heartfelt prayer, each church meeting attended, each worthy friend, each righteous decision, each act of service performed all precede that goal of eternal life."
I really like this quote from Thomas S. Monson because it not only shows how hard we have to work in life to have success, but also how all of the decisions we make mean a lot to what we are to become.
Sorry that I didn't type a long letter this week, but I have been chatting with mum and dad and also one of my favorite companions, Elder Shaw. I hope that you have a great week and thank you for all that you have done to help me to have a great experience and to serve the Lord to the best of my ability.
Love
Elder Peterson
It is good to hear that the Lord cares about Dad and that he is still answering our prayers. Mum that must mean that we are both doing something right in our lives and you can't argue against that one because our prayers were answered so we are doing something right. I really enjoyed looking at the new picture of the truck and I took a good long look at the picture that dad sent me. It looks really nice and I can't wait to take it for a spin in about 16 months. I hope that he doesn't have to get another new one that is a little bigger before I get home. Who am I kidding hopefully he does get a bigger one before I get home.
The weather has actually still been pretty dang nice this past week. It ended off a little cloudy during the weekend, but it has cleared up today and is a really nice weekend so far. I am really enjoying all of the nice weather and I am really enjoying only wearing a white shirt and not having to wear a big coat.
We still have just been doing a lot of finding this past week and we haven't had too much success. We have managed to find one potential that is pretty solid, but he works a lot so it is really hard to find time to meet him. He had a pretty hard time in his life. His fiancé passed away not too long before they were going to get married so he has had some struggles. We did teach him about the Restoration because we really felt that he could use that lesson before the Plan of Salvation lesson. He took it really well and we are hopefully going to be seeing him this next week if he has some time. Other than that we don't have any new investigators and we are just struggling through finding people. It is hard but I don't think that mission is supposed to be easy because if it was then everyone would be doing it.
Easter went pretty well and no I didn't get any chocolate toys. They are some toys that you can buy at the store though. They are called kinder eggs and apparently, according to Elder Shaw, a few of the Elders that were here before me really liked buying them, but they didn't care to take them all with them so they just left them in the flat. It is kind of annoying, but there really isn't anything that I can do about it. I didn't get too much chocolate for Easter. I think that only one member gave us a really big chocolate egg which was pretty interesting. Back home everything is big chocolate bunnies, but over here they do make chocolate bunnies, but it is more common to see chocolate eggs.
I have no idea who the sister missionary is that you are talking about. I can’t remember hearing her last name when I was serving in Sheldon. I do have a sister missionary joke for you though. Why do sister missionaries only serve for 18 months while Elder serve for 2 years?
Because Sisters spend the same amount of money in 18 months as elders do in 2 years. HaHAHAHAHa that was a good one.
I received your package and I really do appreciate all of the nice things that you put in it. I liked the letter and the nice tie and I especially liked the comic book. Everything that is in that book is totally true about missionaries. It is so funny how true it actually is.
I really like the quote that you put on the end of your email mostly because I have related that scripture to football. I hope that you enjoy the quote that I have for you this week. It comes from a really good talk called “Decisions determine destiny" by the Prophet.
He says: “There is no royal road to salvation and exaltation. There is not royal road to success in any endeavor. The "A" grade is the result of each theme, each quiz, each class, each examination, and each term paper. So each heartfelt prayer, each church meeting attended, each worthy friend, each righteous decision, each act of service performed all precede that goal of eternal life."
I really like this quote from Thomas S. Monson because it not only shows how hard we have to work in life to have success, but also how all of the decisions we make mean a lot to what we are to become.
Sorry that I didn't type a long letter this week, but I have been chatting with mum and dad and also one of my favorite companions, Elder Shaw. I hope that you have a great week and thank you for all that you have done to help me to have a great experience and to serve the Lord to the best of my ability.
Love
Elder Peterson
Tuesday, April 7, 2015
Letter #38
Dear Mum and Family,
It sounds like you have all had another great week and that you all enjoyed the time that you spent in St. George. I have come to the conclusion that while you were over there you sent some really nice weather over here to Wales because it has been really nice. For the past week or so it has been really nice weather. So nice that it is actually too warm to be wearing long sleeve shirt. So I have broke out my nice white short sleeve shirts and I have enjoyed walking around in the nice sunny weather doing missionary work in Wales. I hope that all of the rainy weather that we probably should be getting, but I am okay with not getting, gets sent over to you guys so you can enjoy all of the nice dark cold wet weather that I usually get. You need the moisture anyway.
We have still been doing a lot of find lately. Sorry that I have nothing really interesting to tell you because that is really all we have been doing for the past week. We are having a rough time at the moment finding people who are interested in hearing the gospel. We have found a few people and we have set up lessons for them to be taught, but they never show up to their appointments and we are not able to get back in contact with them again. It is kind of frustrating and I don't know why it has slowed down, but it has and all we can do is continue to work hard and do what the spirit tells us to do.
We haven't been able to teach R***** this past week because she is actually really sick and we haven't been able to see her. We have called her a couple of times though and she is still reading the scriptures a lot actually and she is learning a lot. She said that she prayed a few days ago and she got an answer that what she has read and what we have taught her is true. She is really excited to learn more once she gets over this nasty cold that she has.
I hope that you all enjoyed Conference this past weekend as much as I did. I forgot to tell you that I was watching the Saturday morning one the same time that you were too so we actually watched two sessions together. I was able to go to the Llanelli church house with the other set of missionaries and listen to it. That's right the internet wasn't really working and it kept stopping and freezing so we weren't able to watch it we had to listen to it. It is really nice to live in America and not have to worry about all of the stuff. I know that I learned just as much as I would have if I had watched it and I definitely learned a lot of great things. The good thing was is we were able to go to a member’s house to watch the Sunday Morning session and he had a projector screen so it made up for all of the listening that we had to do. I can't wait to get the talks and to study them a little more because I know there were a few things that I missed while I was taking notes.
I think my favorite part of the emailing this week was probably hearing about the great prank that was pulled on Lyndsey and all of her friends. I am mostly typing this in my letter because I know it will be put on the blog and if someone reads this and they haven't been told about it they can come and ask you because I think it is hilarious. I can honestly believe that Lyndsey would fall for that type of prank. I really wish that I was able to be there so that I could have seen it because I could just imagine how funny it was to watch. Now you just need to make sure that no one knows that I am related to her because I have no idea who she is and where she gets her smarts from. I can tell that turning 18 hasn't made her any smarter than she was when she was 17.
Well before I go, like usual, I would like to share a spiritual thought. I can't remember if I shared this one or not, but it is one of my favorite ones from the Prophet. He says, “Don’t let a problem to be solved be more important than a person to be loved." I really like this quote because I have noticed a lot the people are always so busy. Every time I try to stop someone on the street they always say “I am in a rush, I don't have time at the moment." Sometime we are just so busy that we don't see the people around us that need to be shown a little love or who are in need of just a little hello to make their day. I have made it a goal to greet everyone that I pass on street with a hello whether I am going to stop them or not. I have even caught myself waving to people while they drive by in their car. I don't know if it is making their day or if it is annoying them, but I hope that you too can find ways to slow down a little bit and find those around you that might need a little love in their life. We all have tough times and we all need a little love sometimes. I hope that we can all look for those who need love whether it is someone we need to visit at their home or it is some random person that we see on the street. I know that when you are in the service of your fellow beings, you are only in the service of your God.
I hope that you all have a great week this next week and that you all enjoy going back to school.
Love,
Elder Peterson
It sounds like you have all had another great week and that you all enjoyed the time that you spent in St. George. I have come to the conclusion that while you were over there you sent some really nice weather over here to Wales because it has been really nice. For the past week or so it has been really nice weather. So nice that it is actually too warm to be wearing long sleeve shirt. So I have broke out my nice white short sleeve shirts and I have enjoyed walking around in the nice sunny weather doing missionary work in Wales. I hope that all of the rainy weather that we probably should be getting, but I am okay with not getting, gets sent over to you guys so you can enjoy all of the nice dark cold wet weather that I usually get. You need the moisture anyway.
We have still been doing a lot of find lately. Sorry that I have nothing really interesting to tell you because that is really all we have been doing for the past week. We are having a rough time at the moment finding people who are interested in hearing the gospel. We have found a few people and we have set up lessons for them to be taught, but they never show up to their appointments and we are not able to get back in contact with them again. It is kind of frustrating and I don't know why it has slowed down, but it has and all we can do is continue to work hard and do what the spirit tells us to do.
We haven't been able to teach R***** this past week because she is actually really sick and we haven't been able to see her. We have called her a couple of times though and she is still reading the scriptures a lot actually and she is learning a lot. She said that she prayed a few days ago and she got an answer that what she has read and what we have taught her is true. She is really excited to learn more once she gets over this nasty cold that she has.
I hope that you all enjoyed Conference this past weekend as much as I did. I forgot to tell you that I was watching the Saturday morning one the same time that you were too so we actually watched two sessions together. I was able to go to the Llanelli church house with the other set of missionaries and listen to it. That's right the internet wasn't really working and it kept stopping and freezing so we weren't able to watch it we had to listen to it. It is really nice to live in America and not have to worry about all of the stuff. I know that I learned just as much as I would have if I had watched it and I definitely learned a lot of great things. The good thing was is we were able to go to a member’s house to watch the Sunday Morning session and he had a projector screen so it made up for all of the listening that we had to do. I can't wait to get the talks and to study them a little more because I know there were a few things that I missed while I was taking notes.
I think my favorite part of the emailing this week was probably hearing about the great prank that was pulled on Lyndsey and all of her friends. I am mostly typing this in my letter because I know it will be put on the blog and if someone reads this and they haven't been told about it they can come and ask you because I think it is hilarious. I can honestly believe that Lyndsey would fall for that type of prank. I really wish that I was able to be there so that I could have seen it because I could just imagine how funny it was to watch. Now you just need to make sure that no one knows that I am related to her because I have no idea who she is and where she gets her smarts from. I can tell that turning 18 hasn't made her any smarter than she was when she was 17.
Well before I go, like usual, I would like to share a spiritual thought. I can't remember if I shared this one or not, but it is one of my favorite ones from the Prophet. He says, “Don’t let a problem to be solved be more important than a person to be loved." I really like this quote because I have noticed a lot the people are always so busy. Every time I try to stop someone on the street they always say “I am in a rush, I don't have time at the moment." Sometime we are just so busy that we don't see the people around us that need to be shown a little love or who are in need of just a little hello to make their day. I have made it a goal to greet everyone that I pass on street with a hello whether I am going to stop them or not. I have even caught myself waving to people while they drive by in their car. I don't know if it is making their day or if it is annoying them, but I hope that you too can find ways to slow down a little bit and find those around you that might need a little love in their life. We all have tough times and we all need a little love sometimes. I hope that we can all look for those who need love whether it is someone we need to visit at their home or it is some random person that we see on the street. I know that when you are in the service of your fellow beings, you are only in the service of your God.
I hope that you all have a great week this next week and that you all enjoy going back to school.
Love,
Elder Peterson
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