February 15, 2016

2/8-2/15

This week we had a lesson with Karla and Jafet, the parents of Helen, and it was really good! We stopped by just to see how they were doing because we haven't been able to see them for a while and then when we got there Karla told the kids to go to there room and then she just sat down with us and told us how she really is feeling about the whole reactivation thing and getting Helen baptized. There's a lot to the story but the main point is that we were able to just sit down with her and address a lot of her concerns. We tried to answer the best we could but there is just something (Satan) pulling her the other way. We told her that they would have to pray to know if the things we were telling them were true. Anyways it was good and very helpful for us and her. After the lesson when we were in the car I said to elder Blake, "Wow that was epic" and he told me "that is why we live worthy of the spirit at all times so that we are ready for situations like that"! And it is so true! Living so the spirit can dwell in me is so important and something I desire so much! 

We also got to meet with Cristal finally! It has been a while and the last time we met with her she said she knew she needed to be baptized so we were really anxious for the next lesson! We talked to her for a while and tried to figure a date that we could set for her and for us for her baptism.

Zone conference! Woot woot! That was amazing! I was able to grow so much in that meeting! It took pretty much all day! 8 hours! It was crazy! There were a ton of things that I loved but one thing that president Russell showed was this video of this like seminary class learning about the atonement and for one of the lessons the teacher had bought a big donut for everyone in the class(24). But to get the "gift" something had to happen first. One of the students had to do 10 push-ups. So this same student did 10 push-ups for every single person for them to receive the "gift". I think Rachel did something like this on her mission. But it was symbolic of the savior and how he payed for everything in our like and has given us a "gift" ,the Atonement. As I watched it and observed how helpless everyone felt as they just watched this kid do push-ups for them, I started thinking of how we thank the Savior or how we can be more thankful for his gift or how we can help lighten his burden. It all clicked for me when one of the kids broke a piece of the donut off and ate it! To this point no one had eaten it. By partaking of the sacrament we thank Christ for his suffering and and that is how we use the gift! We partake worthily and desiring to change. Anyways it was super great!

With out fail when we go out and start taking to people I start to feel better! It is because I stop thinking of myself! Just like Tyler said to me one time, missionary work seems to solve a lot of the problems that we face in life!

We were at this guys house and we were teaching him and it was going super great and we were talking about following the example of Jesus Christ in our life's and how we do that and then we showed the video about Jesus and his baptism. It was super great but then all of the sudden the guy got super side tract with a simple question to me about where I was from.... That is one thing I have no idea how to control or make better. How do I keep people on course of what we are telling them and not let them get sidetracked talking about snow, drugs, problem kids, and who knows.?

So as I lay In bed one night I was thinking of how great my bed back home was and how it didn't hurt my body and how it was long and I could stretch and then I had a lightbulb moment. I just needed to pull the head of the bed away from the wall and put something between the bed and the wall so I could have that extra 5 inches. Oh it is a lot better now! I don't have to think small, I can just stretch out in my bed! 

In a lesson this week I was siting there and I wanted to talk and say something really bad but I wasn't sure what to say but then I found a tiny opening in the conversation and so I just jumped in and from what I understood I tried to help her and explain some doctrine to her. It was pretty great and I felt pretty good about myself. Also in this lesson we watched a YouTube video! It was awesome! The members daughter came and the daughter pulled up the video about the gardener and how he cuts down his bush for its good! So that was awesome!

We have an incredible family! Enough said! Jaja! 

Get up and read. This is what came to my mind on night this week. I was laying in bed and I was just done with the day and wanted to sleep. I got in bed and was thinking and making sure I did everything to get ready for bed and then the thought of "did I read" came to my head and I was like ya I did that this morning and then I was like wait is that rationalizing not doing it. Anyways I had a little debate with myself but I decided that the spirit always persuades us to do good so of course this is from the spirit. So I got up and went to my desk and started reading from the Book of Mormon and I was able to feel happier, more peace, and just better. It is so important to follow the spirit and to always have it with us. The Book of Mormon is so amazing and it has helped me so much already!

Elder Blake helped me keep my cool when we were coming back from church. One elder has really been getting on my nerves a lot and he was saying a lot of dumb things and he was just annoying me. I finally had enough and tried to get him to understand and I was getting mad. And then elder Blake just said "elder peters, don't." And then I knew what he was saying. It is not worth it to get into arguments with this elder at all. I am thankful that he did this  so I could remember how important it is to not offend the spirit and life so it can abide in me.

So I was just told that my spirit Animal is a red panda! I asked them why and it was because I am always so happy and people just feel happy with my smile!

Happy birthday to grandma and josh!

This picture was sent to Trish on Valentines Day from Genoveva Rojas who feeds these four Elders every Sunday.  They say that Elder Peters  is so special and looks like a twin with a missionary who baptized them six years ago.

Elder Peters' talk on the Atonement for Zone conference-

⭐️Enabling Power = Grace! 

Through the enabling power we are able to keep progressing and changing to become more like our savior, Jesus Christ. 

If we didn't have it we would all be lost and there would be no way for us to be forgiven and start new. We would never be able to come close to the people we need to be without it. Because of the atonement we can be forgiven of our sins and shortcomings.  We are able to repent and continue to strive to become more like our savior. We are able to stand up and keep trying when things get hard. Christ knows us perfectly and he knows where we will fall a little short or where we will do good. He knows how much we can do and he will push us to do all we can do. I have seen in my life that the times that are hard in my life and that really push me are really the times that I grow the most. They are the times that I drop to my knees and ask for strength. Just like how it says in ether 12:27 that "if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them." I know this is true. he is able to guide us and really make us into something better and help us become a better instrument in his hand. 

The Atonement doesn't make everything a walk in the park but it does make it all possible. It will be work and it will be hard at times but through those hard times we can either turn to the lord for help and strength or not. We are able to have the help of our Savior through all things as we go to him in sincere prayer and ask to be guided. He will never leave us. He continually has his arms outstretched towards us and it is up to us to reach back! (Psalms 136:12 "With a strong hand, and with a stretched out arm: for his mercy endureth for ever.") 

While I have been serving this mission, I have come to learn a lot more about this side of the Atonement and how incredible it is. Before I just though that we used the atonement when we sinned and because of Christ's suffering we could be forgiven. but now I am realizing that is it so much more! It is something I am using every day and every moment! It allows me to keep growing and learning. It allows me to repent and keep trying when I haven't done all that I could. I am being comforted and guided by someone who knows me perfectly, someone who spent a lot of time to get to know me and how to best help me. And because of that I am able to feel that comfort and love and know that Christ knows me so perfectly! He knows what will push me and he knows how much I can do! The atonement is so much more to me now! 

The Atonement is such a huge gift for us! I am so grateful that I get to testify to people that Christ knows them perfectly and will help them through everything in there life. All we have to do is turn to him and do our best! At times our best may be a full on sprint but at times maybe our best is crawling. But both are improving and movement forwards towards Christ! He knows us and he knows when we are giving our all! 1 cor 15:10 I know that because of the atonement I am who I am! I know that God is molding me everyday! I don't understand why I have tuff times in my life at times, but when I look back I am so grateful for those hard times!

In closing I want to share one more scripture. Moroni 10:32-33 

• "32 Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God.
• 33 And again, if ye by the grace of God are perfect in Christ, and deny not his power, then are ye sanctified in Christ by the grace of God, through the shedding of the blood of Christ, which is in the covenant of the Father unto the remission of your sins, that ye become holy, without spot."  

I know this is true and that as we come unto Christ and use His gift of the Atonement, we can become perfect in Christ.

In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Élder Peters