Day 398

How did your talk go? 

My talk went really well, it was on the sacrament, Sister Wray spoke ahead of me and I felt like our talks really went together well. She set a good base and went over the sacrament prayer line by line, and then I talked about how it's just like getting baptized every week, the power is contained in realizing this because if you don't know that it's going to take all your sins away, than you're going to keep carrying them, if you understand and respect the sacrament, you realize that you're getting a fresh slate literally every seven days, I touched on that it's bad to take the sacrament unworthily because by lying to the Lord you're devaluing the sacrament to yourself, and again if we don't put that value on it, than we aren't getting anything from it because we will keep carrying our sins from week to week. That's why unworthy partaking is drinking damnation to your soul, because it's stopping your progression. 

Is it no big deal to speak in church now? 

I was nervous until I got up there to actually do it. Then I felt pretty comfortable. I haven't given a talk for a while now, but i've borne my testimony a few times, It's alway a little weird. I usually just bear testimony of a few simple truths and then sit down.

How is your baby, is he 18?

Elder Bingham is from Laramie Wyoming, He's 19, and he is a great missionary! He works hard and wants to be obedient. I think we'll get along just fine!

So will you ever get your car back?

Probably not, I'll have to get transferred if I want a car again.

Have you made any bus contacts?

Yes we've made a few, I'm careful because I'm not sure about bus policy, but I talk to all the people that I can on the bus and if they start asking a few questions then I'm of course more than willing to talk to them.. 

How are your investigators?

They're doing alright, I think they are all moving in the right direction. We'll have to go through a little formering wave and separate the wheat from the tares.. Haha 

Last week went well, We of course went to Winnipeg to go get all of our new missionaries, Elder Eads and I had a good finish, and then Elder Bingham and I have had a good start! We'll just keep on going strong!

I've heard that "What manner of man is this" song, I thought it was pretty interesting :)

Love you so much! I know that the Lord has changed my heart as a missionary, and that when the Lord changes our hearts, it promotes lasting change. I want to keep moving forward. I'm grateful for the time that I've spent and grateful for the time I have left. I feel that I have so much more to accomplish, and so many more people to meet. I'm doing my best. In Preach My Gospel it talks about how if we do our best, we may get discouraged or disappointed, but it will never be in ourselves. Isn't that a comfort? That applies to life in General not just missionary work! So if there are any small things that keep us from doing our best, we should just get them out of our heads!

Love You!

Elder Peterson

 

                                                    Ryus and his Greenie, Elder Bingham

Day 391

This week was pretty good, I wrote a bunch of it to Dad so you'll have to get any info for that from him. haha!

Well, any progress with your neighbors (is that David)?

No progress with our neighbors, but I think David has been doing some praying. It looks like he's going to be able to get a green card and start working, and i think that will make a big difference in his life.

Any changes with transfers?

I am getting a little baby missionary. So I guess I'll have to step it up just be the best I can be!

Any other b-day requests?

I'm trying to think. I wouldn't mind some new G's but I do have access to the website where I can order them so I could just get them on my own. I think I have a pretty good idea of what I want, and it's different than what I have so It's just socks for right now.

Have you seen any good garage sale items?

Not in the last week. They took our car and now we are bus riding missionaries. Something about the mission downsizing. I told them to take the sister's car but they wanted ours. Sister Wray has a broken foot so I guess that makes it so they can't walk.... they're a bunch of babies!

Do they have cultural events that you can go to?

We almost got to go to a Pow Wow (a first nations thing) but we didn't Larry and Georgina two of our investigators, just got a marriage license and as soon as they have a marriage date, we'll reset a baptimal date with them. We just need to get them coming to church because I don't want to baptize an insta-less active. They need more fellowship from the ward. They really are trying to do what's right but they need a good friend.

Are you learning any canandian history?

No. :P' What makes you think I would want to learn that stuff? Just kidding. It's all alright. I keep finding out that lots of singers and actors that I know of are canadian. and it ticks me off. Even Cleon Skousen was born in Canada. I mean come on seriously?

                                                 Riding the bus with Elder Eads

 

Are there ever any areas that are dangerous and you're not supposed to go to?

Mom. come on! I'm nearly twenty two years old! I'm almost a full grown man!

Our week has been good. Attached is a picture of what happened to my companion when he bothered me too much this morning during Companion studies. It's probably a good thing we're getting split up! ;)

I love you so much! Don't worry I still probably have another year until I'm super trunky. Whenever I get trunky I just remember that if I went home right now, it would only take me about a week to do everything that i would like to do and then I would be ready to come back. Then I'm happy enough being out here!

Love You! You're the best!

Elder Peterson

Day 384

Brandon was good last week! Not too stressful, We were able to talk to a few new people this week. We were able to work closely with David this week, we challenged him to pray twice a day for a week. Next week we'll have him read his scriptures daily. We're hoping to see some improvement in him. He may need help that we as missionaries just can't give him. That's a real bummer about the fruit, but maybe you just needed a break this year. We had several people committed to come to church, but none came. It's ok because these people will continue working with us. Man I would kill for a slice of your cheese cake! maybe I'll have to fake and bake a cheesecake. That would be pretty good! It's been very hot and humid this week! I'm looking forward to this next transfer. I think it will be fun. It's gone by so fast. Transfers just fly by. Our area is nice, but our apartment complex isn't that nice. That's ok though, I don't have to live somewhere great to be happy. All that I care about is that I have a good companion and a washing machine.

I can't wait either! Although I finally feel that I have gotten to a point where I am confident as a missionary, and am at a good point. I have a real testimony of what a little consistent effort to study, pray, and go to church can do for someone. It's not to be under rated. Speaking of underrated, 3rd nephi, is such an underrated prophet. Did you know that no one could disbelieve him because he was ministered to by angels daily? No one could hurt him, they stoned his brother, and he just didn't care, he raised him back up from the dead and they kept going! It's mind blowing. His ministry is definitely one of my favorites!

All of those things that you just said.. Laundry, dishes, meals, are all that I have planned. I guess I'm pretty boring.

Also I aquired some cowboy boots at a yard sale, should I keep them or resell them? I like them and they are classy, but I'm wondering if I can pull them off. I like to yard sale because it's a great way to contact someone and talk about what we do as missionaries, plus sometimes you find neat things!

Lastly, I know everone is excited because my birthday is coming up, I know, I know. It's a big deal. Your son is going to be twenty two! But the real deal is how you're so excited to send me some more socks! I can't find the ones that I have anywhere up here! I need to go look around a little more today but I'll let you know. Oh also funny story, The sisters asked me how many times I went to the temple before I left, and I said "Probably around thirty" Sister Wray said "wow! how long where you endowed before you left?" and I said "Haha, long enough to do a few sessions!" Kind of awkward but I just laughed.

Love Elder Peterson! 

Day 377

This week has been a pretty decent week. We weren't able to teach a lot, but we were able to talk to a lot of new people that we hadn't met before. We helped our neighbor guy move to a new house and we were able to associate with a bunch of his friends, and he and his wife said they would come to church on Sunday, on their own accord. So I look forward to seeing them. And the Ward better fellowship the poop out of them or I'm going to be upset because it's rare that you get a married couple, with a car, to church. so if they don't just feel so wonderful and loved than I'll be angry. We met a few other people. I met an Albino from Nigeria, it was really interesting to talk to him. He said that there is quite a lot of discrimination over there for people like him. He wants to continue meeting with us, but I'm not sure how serious he is about our message. He has a long way to go. We got to celebrate forth of july, we went over for a BBQ. It was pretty good. I haven't been that hungry lately so it takes me forever to eat food because I take as much as I normally would, and then have the hardest time eating fast. We were able to go into Winnipeg this week and meet the new mission president. He seems like a good guy. Very spiritual and knows how to convey understanding to people. It seems like when I go to church fasting, I get so much more inspiration out of it. I take church more seriously. It feels really good. Now I know why Grandpa and Grandma fast every Sunday, because the worth of the spiritual food that they get in church, is much more valuable to them then the physical food that they could be eating. Plus Sunday is the most convenient day because you're not even home for lunch anyway! 

Well I'm jealous of you, I've been wanting to get in the water since march. I've tried everything. Sister Christensen in Kenora suggested that I come over and use her hot tub in the morning in place of my shower. I couldn't swing it. But I did want to. So be happy to float the river because I still won't be able to do anything like that for a year.

I'm not too worried about after my mission, although I have thought about it. The only thing that I've allowed myself to think about is some of the Goals that I have for the next year. I was able to pretty well achieve the goals that I had set for the first year of my mission, and I look forward to accomplishing the next set of goals. They revolve around what kind of condition I want to be in when I get home so that I am assured the best success. I've also thought about what I should be doing when I get home, and I think the only things that matter that much to me are that as long as I continue reading my scriptures daily, Pray sincerely, and go to church to learn, I'll be alright and I will consider that a successful continuation of the skills that I have learned on my mission.

Other than that, it has been a pretty good week. The people that we are working with I feel that I am specifically sent here to work with them. For their benefit and for my own. It's good to be able to see that. I find that I really do care about these people that we talk to each day, and I want to help them let Christ change their life. Jeffery R Holland said that "If the missionaries Understand and use the Atonement, it will carry them." That's my goal.

Love Elder Peterson

(from earlier) Do you ever encounter missionaries from other missions?

Nope

Is there only one set of missionaries in Brandon?

There are two sets of Elders, and one set of sisters

Is there anything significant about the town? I know they have Spanish people but why?  (like Steinbach had Mennonites, Kenora  was resort-ish, etc)

It's the second biggest town in Manitoba with 50,000 people, next to winnipeg with 800,000 people. They have lots of spanish because there is a factory here Called Maple leaf that a ton of them work at. Neepawa is about an hour away, and they have a ton of fillipinos, because they have another factory. People go where the work is.

Was there a reason for the pacman cake? Did you make it? Who ate his mouth?

I didn't make it, it was given to us by the sisters, who it was given to by someone else.

Is Sister Wray they nutrition sister?

Yes

Are you eating more fruits and veggies?

Oh I don't know, I eat them at members homes..

Do people up there have gardens, or is the season too short?

Yes people plant Gardens, I don't see a lot though.. Everyone should have a garden! how else would people torture their kids?