January 18, 2016

January 11- 18

So this week I am studying out of the first 12 weeks book and it is really great! I really am loving it! Like today(Tuesday) I studied the doctrine of Christ, the missionary purpose and I was just in so deep of thoughts today! Some of my thoughts today have come from other talks I have listened to while I have been out here and one was why was it so necessary that Jesus died in a cross? And then in those a scriptures I read today were like boom! Here you go! I really enjoyed my study time! 

You would all be proud to know that I have been recognized as someone who knows how to work hard! Hehe! 

Today we were talking with some other elders (senior couple) and we talking about where we were from and when I told them I was from Utah they said sorry. I was talking with elder palomeque afterwards and about why it seems like everyone here doesn't like Utah. It doesn't make sense to me why someone would like it there. But them he was like "aren't there a lot of Sunday Mormons there?" And I first thought no! But there kinda is. It made me kinda sad for a bit but then I decided that I can help people see my side of Utah and be the kinda person I know I need to be! I don't know why I am telling you this but maybe i hope one thing that you get out of this is to we need to better ourselves and life as a member of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saint at all times! Not just Sunday, everyday! Every moment! 

We were talking to this guys about how like people are called through inspiration and through much prayer. Like how stake president call bishops and the prophet calls missionaries to places through inspiration from God. Then it hit me! Like dad has said many times and so has rachel that God will qualify those who he calls! I realized that it was not just dumb luck that I was called to speak Spanish! I am here for a reason! And so I told the investigator this and tried to explain it to him the best I could that I knew NO Spanish before but I was called to speak Spanish and how God has helped quality me for this calling! Just like he qualifies everyone else who he calls!

So you asked me about Andreas baptism. I was super glad that I was able to help her get baptized but I don't really feel connected to any of the people that we are teaching..... And I hate it!!! I am going to start tonight and start praying for more of a love and connection with the people here. Like I really want to feel that connection with the people I teach!! I think I would have been more excited if (hahaha) I could have understood everything and also if I got to sit down and hear what was said and stuff. Like I was running around with one of the elders and then he had to find his phone during the beginning of everything so we were running around... Anyways lots of emotions and lots of things happen. As I think back to it not I am really glad that I got to be apart of her baptism. She was so ready and it has really blessed her family. Her mom and dad had gone a little less active since there baptism (like a year ago) and because she wanted he dad to baptize her, we tried to get him more active and ready to do it. And it has helped them all a ton. I am grateful that God has a amazing plan for everyone! I also think that I just don't truly understand how amazing of an ordinance took place. Haha also another answer to your question is that I do have a picture but.... I am not in it.......... I was trying to get the font filled and things ready and then I asked elder Blake and them to just wait one sec and I would be there soon. But.... They did it without me... 

Something really cool that happened after district meeting today we went out to eat and some random person bought me, elder Blake's, and one other missionary's food!!!!! It was awesome!!! I felt so blessed! 

Also a huge blessing this week has been the car!! We have been able to do so much more work and find a lot of people! Like today we were able to visit a lot of people that haven't been seen for a while or former investigators. We met with Fabian and Maria and Hermana Gonzales and others but those are 3 huge ones that were great!!!

Fabian is a guy that we haven't seen for a year or so and he was totally up for meeting with us. He even asked if we could meet somewhere else so that it could be quite and stuff! 

Maria was so amazing! She blow me and even more elder Blake!! We remembered her from like a year ago and he only talked to her for a sec on the door step. She let us teach her for a while on her door step even though it was cold. And she just seemed to understand what we were talking about. When we asked if we could come back she said "si, pero no. Por qué mi esposo no le gusta ustedes" (Yes, but no. My husband does not like you.) or something like that. But we did give her a Book of Mormon and hopefully she reads it. 

There was a TON of rain today!!!! Like it rained all day! Till about 4! But we were able to have so much success! We were able to meet with a family who was a former investigator and we didn't just have a door lesson, we got inside and sat down and talked and taught them for a whole! It was super awesome! I also think the rain helped because it kept people in there houses and so we could find them. Also people are more willing to invite us in if it is raining. So I saw the rain today as a blessing! Just like mom said in the letter she wrote me. Rainy days are required to have beautiful and amazing nature! 

So I still love Sunday's! They bring so much joy into my life and help me refocus for the coming week! I am so thankful for the Santa cena (sacrament) and the opportunity to be cleansed from sin and be able to become more and more like Christ!

Today elder Palomeque had the insane idea to send me and elder Wirthlin  out together to go teach a lesson and then go find some people! I honestly was a little nervous and kinda scared to go do it with elder Wirthlin because we are both new.. But it ended up going pretty great! We were able to find 2 potential investigators and one new investigators! It was sweet! Haha they all spoke Spanish and English so that was a huge help! And I was able to talk to a lot of them and it just made me feel so good! I was able to apply a ton of what I have heard and seen elder Blake do! It showed me that I am not a little kid that is following around this missionary. I am a missionary and have been called to preach the gospel in Spanish! And if that is what the Lord wants for me, I KNOW he has a plan prepared for me!

 I have changed SO much since the first week! wow! that is crazy to look back! I honestly couldn't explain to you the changes I see just from looking back like 12 week! this is the most I have changed in such a short amount of time! like 12 weeks ago i would have never just gone and knocked on some random persons door and just started taking to then and shared the gospel with them!! and so much more!

As I look back and ponder about my week and about yesterday, I know that those feelings of doubt, fear, worry, uselessness, and others are from satan. I know he is working hard to have me just quit. But I will not quit! I want to at all times give my all and best wok to the Lord! At time My best may be to run or sprint, but maybe sometimes my best is just crawling. And that is all ok! God loves me and he knows the intention of me heart. If I am trying to improve he will see! I know that my Heavenly Father is aware of me and is watching out for me. I know prayer is such an amazing things and we are so blessed to understand it they way we do. That we can talk to God just like talking to our parents. He is there and he is listening. (Like the primary song "a child's prayer) We are His children and He loves us more then we truly can comprehend! 

I love you fam! You guys are truly the best! I hope I get to talk to all of you today! I love you all so much! That includes cam and Kirsten too, and thank you for being me brother and sister! You may be a in-law sibling but you feel just like my Siblings! I love you all so much and I am excited to hear from you all!

Love 

Elder peters

This is after it had rained all day and the sun decided it was its turn to shine!

• Thank you grandma! The package was great!!! I really hope that the sweater didn't cost that much. I can't even really use vests. They have to be full sweaters... But thank you!! The jacket is very nice! I broke my other one this week. I washed it and some how the dryer melted the zipper and broke it.... So my zipper doesn't work but it still is good jacket.