Letter # 50

Hey Mum and Family,

I would like to say that Mum is officially 50 years old now and she isn't getting any younger. I hope that no one falls into the lie that she keeps saying.  Usually when people hit 50 they like to think that they are only 42 when they really aren't.  You can let mum think it but deep down we all know that she isn't.  The cake doesn't lie.  Sorry I had to say that last part because it is true.  In fact none of us are getting younger but I just had to say that to mum because it was her birthday yesterday.  From the sounds of it you were really taken care of on your birthday.  I can't believe you got a Steve Young jersey.  I was just thinking that when I get home it will be the perfect time of the year.  Winter will soon be coming after I get home and I will be able to do what one of your brother did mum and put that jersey on a snow man and run it over.  I think that is the best idea I have ever had in a long time. haha

It sounds like it was a lot of fun going to the airport and seeing Austin come home from his mission.  I wish I was able to be there for his homecoming talk because I am sure that it was amazing.  I would like to hear from him if he does want to email me.  I can't believe that he is home already.  I am sure that he has some great stories and I can't wait to hear from him soon.  What a treat it will be.

I am glad that you were able to go and have some nice fish and chips for your birthday.  I forgot to tell you that after District meeting every week we go to a chippie and get fish and chips for lunch so I am now back into eating some nice food.  I will have to see how well the restaurant is back home compared to England.  I hope that it doesn't disappoint me because I love fish and chips.

This past week for me has been pretty great.  I really did enjoy this weekend especially.   On Saturday we had a great service project with some members that are really cool.  They had us go there at 10 and they fed us breakfast and then we chopped up all of the trees that they had in their yard.  They had cut them down a couple of days earlier and they had us help them chop them up in small chunks so that they could get rid of some of it.  It was a lot of work but it was way fun helping them.  They are such a great family.  I think they are one of my most favorite families here in Tamworth.  

This weekend was also great because we had Stake Conference on Saturday evening and Sunday morning.  It was an amazing conference.  Elder Charles of the Seventy was here and he gave an amazing talk and so did his wife.  All the talks were great but I did really like the one given by Elder Charles.  He talked about the Sabbath and how we need to prepare for the Sabbath before Sunday both spiritually and physically.  In a way he was kind of rebuking the members which I thought was quite enjoyable to listen to.  I will have to share a little bit with you next email during my spiritual thought because it was great.

The photo of me is just a sign off a road that I found.  I don't think it means anything but if you want it to mean something go for it.

We didn't have the best lesson with M**** this past week because he said that he does like the Book of Mormon but he still wants to attend his Jehovah Witnesses church.  He said the only reason that he wants to attend it is because he has a lot of friends there so we will try to get him to read and pray and hopefully he will want to learn more about the Book of Mormon.

Well I would like to share a spiritual thought with you all this week which is actually an experience that I had not too long ago that I would like to share with you because I forgot that I didn't.  Before I moved here to Tamworth I decided to read the Book of Mormon and to pray about it again to gain an answer again that it was true.  It is always good to get the reaffirming answers so that is what I did.  I had started reading the Book of Mormon really deeply each day and I had kept on praying and asking for an answer.  For a couple of weeks I was getting nothing and it was actually kind of frustrating.  But the thought of patience kept coming to my mind as I would think about it.  Well time went on and I moved to Tamworth with still no answer.  Then Elder Holland came to the special stake conference that was held not too long ago.  This is not the one that was with the missionaries it was before that.  Well during his talk that day it was focused on the Book of Mormon and why it has to be true. I had felt the Spirit so strongly as he was speaking and after that meeting and listening to him I know that I had received a answer that the Book of Mormon is true.  There is no doubt in my mind that I got my reaffirming answer that day that it is true.  I learned a couple of new things from that.  One that God always does answer our prays and two sometimes we need to be patient because God knows when we will receive an answer we just have to trust in Him.

So from that I would like you guys to maybe try the same thing if you would like.  Read the Book of Mormon and pray about it.  It is always cool to see that no matter how many times you read and pray about it God will always answer you.

Well I hope that you all have a great 4th of July Holiday and a great week.
Love, 
Elder Peterson