September 23, 2013

These past two weeks has been kinda rough.  We have not been having the success that we need to be having for the number of investigators that we have.  But one of the things that President Morby said a while ago made me laugh.  He said that a mission is a free shot.  In marriage you don't get to divorce your wife every three months, so choose wisely.  But back to missionary life, and no more complaining.  I have complained enough to fill up my quota for the rest of my mission.  'nough said!  Period.... Ever. (I think)

This past week has been somewhat challenging, we had at least 11 lessons cancel.  But that means that we had the possibility to teach 11 lessons.  I hope that at some point we will be able to help to teach those people that cancelled.  If that can happen, then I will be more than thrilled.  I haven't ever had so many investigators to teach.  We have only had one week where we did not find a new investigator. All other weeks we have found at least 3 potentials, and anywhere from 1 to 4 new investigators.  So things are definitely picking up.  Now our investigators need to start keeping their commitments.  They don't know what they are mission out on by not coming to church and being baptized.  The Gospel of Jesus Christ can and will change their lives.

I miss dancing.  It was so stress free and happy.

Elder Peterson

September 16, 2013

It has been really hard not to get discouraged.  I went from an area that was doing amazing, and now I am in an area that is struggling more.  It has been so hard to see the Hand of God in some things.  But in other ways it is so apparent.  Just this past week Elder Jones and I were out tracting.  We knocked on this man's door, and he abruptly asked us "What do you want?"  We responded "Well, we want to make you happy."  He responded that he didn't want anything that we could give him and was quite rude about it as well.  It was a very discouraging thing, seeing someone like that completely reject any form of the gospel and God.  But the next door was a lot more rewarding.  We were invited in to talk, and we were able to get a return appointment to introduce the Book of Mormon.  

It seems like life is a lot like that in almost every aspect of life.  Things start out hard, then you progress and plateau as you overcome challenges and get used to things.  Then change happens again, and you realize that you are nothing at all.  It is a lot like King Benjamin said, that we are nothing in the sight of God,  we are less than the dust of the earth.  Which is completely right.  We can be disobedient, ungrateful people, incapable of seeing past the edge of our nose to realize that we are walking off of a cliff.  It isn't until God trips us just short of the edge  that we realize that we were acting to our own destruction.  And then from there, we can either chose to get up and repent and be grateful, or we can get made and blame God for a broken nose and the pain from the fall, and then commit spiritual suicide without a second glance.

I just hope that even after people reject the gospel, God will continue to provide a parachute to use after they fall off of that cliff.

If we knew something that would save someone's life, to what extent would we go to save that person, especially if it is someone that we love.  Now, if we know something that would save their soul, something that is eternal, to what extent would we go to save that person, especially when we know that they are family.

Love 

Elder Peterson

September 3, 2013

Things went crazy this past week.  There was a situation with an investigator and his family, who we had been teaching.  It was pretty complicated and resulted in the investigator moving out of state (we think).  The family seems to be doing well enough.  We went over on Wednesday and taught R (the mother) about the Plan of Salvation with her three daughters.  We also asked if she had thought more about baptism.  R told us that she did not want to commit to a date because she wanted to find out that the Book of Mormon was true first.  I am content with her response, because it tells me that she understands how important a commitment baptism really is.  

That was the highlight of the week.

Every other investigator that we have has been cancelling and rescheduling, or just plain avoiding us.  We have  8 other investigators and about 10 potential families that we could be teaching, but all of them are rescheduling and cancelling, or just not answering the door.  It is somewhat frustrating.  So Elder Jones and I have been doing a lot of finding, trying to find those who are ready to hear the Gospel.  Our door approaches are getting better, and more people are wanting to listen to our message (hence the 10 potential families) but the return appointments are not being awesome, and they are cancelling with out mercy.  Hopefully soon they will be praying and reading the Book of Mormon, and then getting baptized with lots of mercy.

With Faith and hope,

Elder Peterson

(Oh and lots of love, I finished the Bible this morning.)

August 27, 2013

We had an investigator come to church yesterday.  A is an investigator that we tracted into  not last Sunday, but the Sunday before that.  He is amazingly receptive, loved the message that the Church shares, and wants to be baptized.  It was really kinda funny when we commited him to be baptized.  Elder Jones extended the baptismal commitment to him on Wednesday.  it went something like this.  " A, will you follow the example of Jesus Christ----

---Yes---

And be baptised by someone holding the proper authority from God? 

Yes, how about this Sunday when I come to Church?

 

So, A is super excited to be baptized, even if he doesn't entirely understand all of it, it is something that he really wants to do.  So we are going back this Wednesday to meet with him, and then again on Saturday.  he is just on fire.

 

Things are definitely starting to catch up in Beaver Creek.  Yeah!!!

 

Oh, a little funny note, so my mom taught Uncle Brian how to flip someone out of a headlock.  So my companion and I wrestle a little bit, he was a state champion in Arizona, and he loves to try and put me in a head lock, and previously I had been able to get out if it in a couple different ways, but today he did it while I was studying, so I tucked my chin, moved my study materials and flipped him over my shoulder.  It was super funny.

 

I love you so much

Elder Peterson

Words are powerful things.  If we can master our tongues, then we can master anything.