Updates on David

I'm afraid I have been very lax in getting David's emails up.  In my defense, most of his have been VERY short.  He seems like he is loving his mission and working very hard.  You'll have to read between the lines and know that his younger brothers have sent him pictures from Primary and asking questions like, if he had attended Stake Conference.  We had it, but obviously he was on a different schedule.  We also had almost two full weeks where he didn't get a chance in the MTC to use a computer to write.  I figured that if there was something wrong, there were many who knew how to reach us.  Kind of a no news is good new thing.

I've changed the initials of his investigators to protect their privacy as I have no way of knowing if they'd want to be included on here.  

Feb 15, 2013

MTC Missionaries

Thanks for the letter.  I really appreciate it.  Also can you tell Michael thanks for the picture?  I forgot to when I sent him the letter.  I am doing well.  I have been praying for Aaron and the family.  How much snow have you guys gotten?  The MTC has been moving right along.  They added more bunks to all of the rooms except for 2 on each floor.  So now in a regular dorm sized room, there are six people.  It is super crowded in some places.  I was lucky and my room was one of the rooms that didn't need to have extra beds put into it.  Probably because my room had originally been a vending machine room so it is smaller than the other ones anyways.  But I am doing well.  I'm sorry to hear about Aaron in the hospital.

 

I am headed out for Oregon on Monday, so I probably won't get any letters that are sent to the MTC, so just remember to send them to the mission home.

Feb 19, 2013

Thank you so much for the packages.  I forgot to bring my letters with me, so if i forget to mention something, I'll probably get to it later next week.

 

Can you tell Sister C thanks for the letter, and I will be sending one out to her soon. 

 

Yesterday was super long.  I woke up at 4 and didn't really sleep except for on the plane, and we all know that the sleep on the plane isn't really all that beneficial.  I went and met with the Bishop and the Ward mission leader in Mollala where I am serving for the next 3 months.  I also met the P.  They are probably the nicest people that I will meet out here in Oregon, which is saying alot because everyone here is incredibly friendly. 

 

Elder L was not able to come out to Oregon with me.  He had to stay at the MTC because he got an infection in his gums where his wisdom teeth had come out.  He is seeing an oral surgeon today, and will be coming out to Oregon hopefully on friday.

 

My new companion is Elder Jorgenson.  He is a computer whiz, is super funny, but still focused.  It is nice to have a trainer who isn't all stiff and starchy.  He only has seven fingers, but he types faster than I do.  It is CRAZY!  I haven't asked how he lost the other three, but I will soon.  My trainer is an awesome guy. 

 

My P-Days are normally on Mondays, but because yesterday was Transfer day, today was P-day.

 

I love you, and I am doing well.

February 25, 2013

So, about the mail.  All of the mail needs to be sent to the mission home and it will be sent out and forwarded from there.  That way everything will get to me.  Just because around transfers a lot of the time, the mail will be lost, so all of the mail should be sent to the mission home.

Well, when I got here, I realized that I didn't have a street jacket.  The one from Mr Mac works great, but it doesn't really work for P-Day, so I was wondering if you could send down a jacket/hoodie of some kind.  Also, could you send down my soccer cleats?

 

I am actually in a car for right now, so my bike is down in the basement of the Mission Home right now.  But I really appreciate all of the hard work that you guys went through to get it here.  I can almost guarantee that I will use it right after I transfer.

 

This last week was rather interesting.  I was able to tract into two people that are willing to listen about the Church.  One had just moved down from Oregon City and was taking discussions from the missionaries there.  The other was just interested in learning about what we believe because he likes to piece together his own image of God.  So I am excited about that!  We also got yelled at by one family.  Looking back it was kinda funny how it happened.  We were tracking and we knocked on the door.  It had a "No Soliciting" sign on it. They opened the door and the wife started yelling at us about how there was a sign on the door.  Then the husband came and yelled that what we were doing fell under the no soliciting and told us that we had 3 seconds to get off their porch.  So we did and went on our way.  I guess that they were probably not ready.

 

Awesome Companion

The week went by so fast!  I was totally surprised.  It was the complete opposite of the MTC, but I guess that is because I am not sitting in the class room all day long.  I talked to a guy last night about some stuff.  He says that he knows the church is true, but he won't be baptised because he thinks it is too late for him in his life.  He is a awesome guy, he just doesn't think that he can change.  It is really sad.  I don't think that he really understands the power of the Atonement.  He has received missionary lessons before, and he has them practically memorized, but I don't think that he has quite internalized the Gospel of Jesus Christ and how it can unlock the Atonement.

 

On Thursday, I saw my first freezing rain.  Elder Jorgenson and I nearly died.  We were coming down a hill in the dark when it had started raining, and I was calling someone to let them know that we were running a little late.  Apparently the rain had been freezing when it had been hitting the ground because when we tried to turn, the car started slipping.  And even better, just off the side of the road, not three feet off, there was a drop off.  But with help from the Lord, Elder Jorgenson was able to bring the car back under control and we reached the apartment safely.

 

I love you and I hope everyone is doing well.

 

Elder Peterson

 

******************************** 

Dear Michael,

 

I really like being out on a mission.  It is really a lot of fun.  I didn't think that it would be, but it is.  For Church, because I serve two different wards,  I went to 5 hours of Church instead of 3.  I went to two different sacrament meetings!  But, no  I didn't go to Stake Conference.  They have a different time that they do that at.  But yup, being a missionary is a lot of hard work, but it is what I need to be doing right now. 

 

I hope that you are being good for mommy.  I love you.

 

Elder Peterson

March 4, 2013

Quick explanation.  I bought a birthday treat and some candles to send him.  I also bought me  some make-up, and then later found I forgot to take it out of the bag before mailing it off.  But I didn't want him to waste money sending it back.

Ha ha, I make sure that I use all of it.  The sister Missionaries won't ever see it.  Just kidding.  People think Mormons are weird enough without me doing that.

 

This week has been awesome.  We found one new potential investigator tracting, and we had another gentleman contact us and he told us that he wanted to take the lessons!  I am so excited.  Also, we committed an investigator to Baptism!!  She is going to be baptized on March 30th!  She wants me to confirm her that next Sunday!!!  I also gave my first Priesthood Blessing yesterday while visiting member families.  It was a weird experience, but it was a good weird.

 

You should tell me who the new bishop will be.  I bet it will be Brother ***** or *******.  Don't tell them I said that.  But I found Sister Wells family out in Oregon.  They look almost exactly the same.  Their kids look exactly the same as well.  It was so strange.

 

Tell Jonathan and Deborah good luck with Open and formation dancing at Nationals.

 

Thank you for all your prayers and help,

 

Elder Peterson

 

Dear Andrew and Michael,

 

Nope, I have not yet baptized anyone yet.  Actually, the mission president doesn't want the missionaries baptizing anyone.  He wants one of the ward members to do it, so that way, the investigator has someone that they are friends with in the ward.  But my first investigator baptism is on the 30 of March.  And I hope that I have a good birthday too.

March 11, 2013

Yes the package got to me.  I really appreciate the things that you sent in it.  Someting really cool.  This week we had Zone Conference, and President Morby said that we can now email friends as well as family!

Speaking of Bishops, the Molalla River Ward got a new bishop this week as well.  It is now Bishop Pederson instead of Bishop Glenn.  I was totally thrown for a loop with that one, cause I was helping a recent convert find the missionary that had baptized her when they announced the change.  So I missed it until someone in the foyer asked if we had heared what happened.  It was so cool.

 

A little on the sad note.  We were told by Bishop Glenn before he was released that we had to drop an investigator.  The investigator had been ex-ed and had asked for the lessons to help with his repentance process, but hadn't asked the bishop if it was okay.  So we were told that we needed to drop him.

 

I am so happy that Deborah and Jonathan did well at Nationals.  Tell them and Kayti for me will you?

 

That's great about Matthew.  Just remind him that he will have a lot of late nights and stressful weeks, but it will all be worth it.  Mr Smith can be intimidating.  Just remind Matthew to not get on his bad side otherwise Matthew won't see any time on stage. 

 

Keep Breathing and every thing will be okay.  The members out here are awesome, we get fed everynight and it is always good food.  It seems like everyone out here plays frisbee golf on p-days.  I had never heard of it before I got out here.

 

We painted an investigators kitchenon thursday.  So glad I already knew what to do and how to do it.  It made everything so much easier.  (THANK YOU PAINTING MERIT BADGE)  Everything is going well out here.

 

Can you tell Mary that even though some people will not take the MTC and roleplaying seriously, that it really does help and to use all of the study time.  Use the time to memorize scriptures.  Even though you have the topical guide and the index, having scriptures memorized will help so much more.

 

I Love You

Elder Peterson 

March 18, 2013 

His comment here:  "It is so GREEN out here."
Yep, he's from the desert.

Very short, but this is the one he sent pictures with.

Elder Jorgensen's mom is from Roy I think.  Elder L's mom is from Murray I think, but I am not sure.  But yeah, I am totally okay for the pictures to be sent out.  And I don't know my apartment address.

 

Attached should be some pictures of what has happened out here so far.  None of the SD card work, so I can only take 5 pictures before the memory is full.

 

Thanks

 

Elder Peterson

March 25, 2013

Dear Mom,

 

That is so awesome about Matthew.  It is a lot of fun and hard work out here.  (Matthew had said he couldn't wait for his own mission.) 

Yes I received the bank card.  I also got the permission slip, and I am sending that out today

 

Yes the picture by himself is my companion from out here in Oregon.  His name is Elder Jorgensen.  He has been out for 18 months, and this is his first time training. 

 

The MTC really wasn't that different from college.  It is like taking a bunch of institute classes, but never really leaving the class room.  Mary will do a great job in the MTC, as long as she teaches simple doctrines.  At least for me, it was kinda frustrating at first when a whole bunch of teachers kept popping into the classroom during studies, but after a while, we realized that when they didn't, it was really easy to get off track and start talking.  They really are there to help us.  It doesn't matter if they are assigned to a different district or not, if they suggest something, take it at face value.  They know what they are talking about.  Be humble and everything will work out.  It is okay if you don't know the answers, just testify of what you do know.

 

So I just found out that these computers don't have a copy/paste function, and I just lost half the email, cause it auto saved right after. FRUSTRATION

 

So this last Tuesday, I went on exchanges with the district leader, Elder A.  Every Tuesday night, the Canyon Creek ward does a scripture study, and Elder Jorgensen and I had been assigned to talk for the next two weeks on the Atonement.  These discussions go for about an hour and a half, so this was kinda intimidating, especially since Elder Jorgensen was no longer with me, and I was working with a companion that I didn't really know.  Previously, Elder Jorgensen and I had decided to talk the first time about the premortal existence, the Creation of the world, and the Fall of Adam.  We had found scriptures and we had decided that Elder Jorgensen was going to lead.  But now, Elder Jorgensen was in Canby, and I was with Elder A.  So I was super nervous.  Luckily, the people at the discussion are very talkative, so I was able to lead the discussion without too much trouble, and with some help from Elder A.

Thursday was a crazy day.  When we met with N she told us after the lesson that she didn't want to get baptized, but asked us to keep coming anyways, so hopefully we will be able to help her towards baptism eventually. 

After N, we met with S.  The last time we met and taught him, he was high, so it was really hard to get him to focus on what we were talking about.  So this time, I was already discouraged from meeting with N, and I was half expecting him to be high again.  It was a nice surprise when he wasn't high, and half way through our discussion, one of his friends came in and sat down and started to listen in on the Plan of Salvation. 

Then that night, we went and visited with L.  He was the man who thought that it was too late for him to repent.  We brought with us one of the ward missionaries who we thought would connect with L really well.  L talked about alot of the same stuff as last time, except it seemed like this time, he was talking about how he expected more out of the people in the Church, and how he had higher expectations about some of our policies.  But, with help from the ward missionary, we were able to address more of his concerns.  Then at the end of our conversation, I felt prompted to promise him the comfort that he was looking for, if he would start to read and pray.  He was super surprised about what I said, and confused as to how we would know that he was looking for comfort.

 

So over all, Thursday was one roller coster of a day, ending on a good note.

The work out here is starting to pick up.  We have 6 investigators, with a baptism this weekend.  I am super excited to see how things continue to progress out here.  When I first came out, we had one investigator.

Love,
Elder Peterson

"When I feel the Holy Ghost, I know my sins have been forgiven"
Stake President Lundgreen

This is how we know that our sins have been forgiven.  Each time we feel the Spirit, we are been sanctified.  If we use this, then we can help others to find out how they can receive forgiveness, and come closer to our Savior, and our Heavenly Father.

" For the Spirit of the Lord cannot dwell in unholy temples"