May 7, 2013

This past week has been kinda stressful.  This was the last week of the transfer and Elder Jorgensen was getting transferred.  

This past week was also kinda cool.  Elder Jorgensen and I tallied up all of the RC/LA's, other lessons, and member present lessons, and we had taught over 80 lessons in the month of April!  We nearly reached our goal of 100 lessons by the end of training.  It was a great experience learning with Elder Jorgensen.

My new companion is Elder Barlow.  I am kinda nervous about him, just because of how easily Elder Jorgensen and I got along, and all the missionaries were talking about how whenever that happens, the next companion will be difficult.  But I won't let that taint my impressions.  I am just a little wary.  He seems super nice though.  

This past week started out amazing.  We were able to attend the Temple.  It is so pretty inside.  It is the only temple with an atrium inside!!!  Then we had 5 lessons, and needed to go on splits that night we had so much stuff going on.  Unfortunately, the rest of the week, there were a couple cancels each week, but on Friday, we were able to hand out a Book of Mormon, and we tracted into a Baptist Deacon, and spend about 2 hours talking about Joseph Smith, the Bible and the Book of Mormon.  I don't think that we helped to clarify any thing, but it was a good experience.  He was a nice man.  

And then there were transfers.  But this transfer is going to be awesome.

Love 

Elder Peterson

Psalms 91: 2-7,10-11

3 Nephi 5:13

April 29, 2013

This past week has been a little strange for me.  I am finishing up my training with Elder Jorgensen and I have just realized that transfers are in a week, and I will probably be getting a new companion.  I don't feel quite ready for that to happen yet.  I am still not as familiar with the area as a should be, and I just don't feel like I am ready yet.  But if that is what the Lord wants, that is what will happen.  But also, this past week has been quite amazing at the same time.  My area decided that we would  have a fast together over the course of a week and a half.  One companionship would fast for one day, then another for the next, until all the companionships had fasted.  I was able to really feel and see the difference in my area while this was happening.

At district meeting, the AP's came and visited.  They helped a lot during the practice and training portion.  One thing that Elder V asked me to do that has really helped me was to look for the Gospel of Jesus Christ in all of the different lessons, and incorporate that into my teaching.  It was really interesting and constructive.

While teaching this past week, I have really been able to see how the Spirit works in the lives of the investigators we have been teaching, especially in N.  This past week we taught her about the word of wisdom, and what was really awesome to me was how easily she accepted it.  She said that since Christ had done so much for her, then it wouldn't be hard to give up her tea.  She said that if people really put their mind to it, then the Word of Wisdom wouldn't really be all that hard to follow. 

Also this past Sunday, she brought her entire family to church with her.  It was so exciting!!

At Ward Council this past Sunday, Elder Jorgensen and I were able to see how the Ward Mission process has been going, and there have been rumors that at this next transfer, the area that I am in is going to split.  So instead of serving both Molalla River, and Canyon Creek, both wards will have their own set of missionaries.

I am super nervous for transfers this coming week.

Love

Elder Peterson

The Bible dictionary says that prayer is "the act by which the will of the Father and the will of the child are brought into correspondence with each other.  The object of prayer is not to change the will of God, but to secure for ourselves and for others blessings that God is already willing to grant, but that are made conditional on our asking for them." 
Prayer is extremely important.  It is through prayer that we can receive revelation for ourselves, and come to know the nature of God.  Satan also recognizes the importance of prayer.  Throughout the Bible, the Book of Mormon, and Modern Scripture, you see Satan trying to keep people from praying.  The one that stand out most prevalent in my mind is in Mosiah 24:8-16.  With Amulon already being so wicked and twisted, it was only a small matter for Satan to influence Amulon to keep the people of Alma from praying.  Those who were caught praying were put to death.  But the people of Alma did not stop from praying, they persisted, and were blessed with strength in their trials, and eventually, freedom from bondage.

The next is Joseph Smith.  Satan goes to such length to keep Joseph from praying out loud because Satan realizes that there is strength in verbal prayer.  Because of those efforts, Joseph almost gave up! 

Satan probably won't bind us with those same things as he did Joseph Smith, but he will send those feelings of inadequacy, those feelings that say "no one is listening" and "God really doesn't care".  When those feelings come, keep praying.  They will pass.

April 23, 2013

Wow.  Things sound like they are super rough around at home.   This past week has been a little more stressful out here as well.  We had a bunch of people cancel lessons, and another lesson that didn't go very well.  The guy said that he is willing to listen, but he is also trying to get us to leave our religion.  I was not very comfortable at all in that lesson.  Elder Jorgensen and I later talked about the lesson, and how it went.  That investigator hasn't been keeping commitments, or even trying to progress.  He doesn't work, or really do anything productive, he sits around all day playing video games, so it’s not as if there is anything of value keeping him from reading, or attending church or anything.  It is just super frustrating to see that he isn't progressing or putting any effort into anything.

Something that was cool though.  At the Stake President's Council, we were given a paper outlining how the work has been going in our District.  Elder Jorgensen and I have been teaching the most lessons with 37 lessons in Canyon Creek and 10 lessons in Molalla River for this past month.  So it was really cool to see that even though some days, people cancel and things don't go according to plan, things really do add up, and make a difference.

This past week, we were able to go out tracting a couple different times.  But on Tuesday, it was super cool.  We had been knocking doors for about 45 minutes, and a young woman opened the door, and we were able to talk to her for a little while, and we were able to give her a Book of Mormon!  Later, we were able to talk to other people, and we were able to get a service opportunity, and another person accepted a pass-a-long card, so hopefully, those people will act on what we talked to them about.

I have started to sleep better, but not much better.  If it continues to be bad, I am going to call Sister M about it, to see what we can do about that problem.

Love,

Elder Peterson

Life all around us is filled with temptation.  In the book of Alma, it talks about how those small choices that we make, make all the difference in our lives.  

Living on the edge: Alma 31:3

False Doctrine or relying on supposition rather than true doctrine and faith: Alma 31:15-17

Pride: Alma 31: 24

Those things will lead to our eventual spiritual destruction.  However through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, we can overcome the Natural Man and those mistakes that we have made.

Overcoming Spiritual apostasy, and perversion

Alma 32:13-14

Alma 32:21

Alma 32:33

John 14:18-19 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.  Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.

April 1, 2013

Note: Things got a bit out of order.  Not really sure why, but they did.  This one really should have been posted ages ago.  I've been slacking.  Sorry about that!

Also, a little background.  Michael, who is six, made the comment that missionaries have three companions: Heavenly Father, Jesus, and Santa.

That is so funny about Michael!  Things out here have been kinda slow this past week, but we have had some miracles as well. 

So, this past Saturday, I had my first baptism.  Her name was B, and Elder Jorgensen baptized her.  It went well.  We were invited to a get together at the P’s afterwards, then to the B’s for lunch.  Saturday was a great day.

              

Now for the miracle parts. 

1)    So we have been teaching a Hispanic woman by the name of N.  N is in her 50's.  She has been very interested in the Church, but her mom, who is Catholic, is very against N taking the Discussions.  We had invited N to the baptism, and N said that she would try to go, but wasn’t sure if she would be able to because of some family issues.  So we were not sure if N would be able to come to the baptism or to church this Sunday.  Fortunately, N was able to come, and she brought her mother, and her granddaughter, and her granddaughter's boyfriend.  So Elder Jorgensen and I were super happy.
2)     On Sunday, N came to church, with her mom!!!  I was super happy.

3)     Elder Jorgensen and I were able to bless the sacrament

4)     The choir number in the Canyon Creek ward was awesome

5)     I was able to confirm B a member of the Church.

6)     We were approached by a less active member during a lesson with N, and he said the closing prayer, and was interested in taking the discussions to help become more active.

So all in all, looking at the week, it wasn't as slow as I first thought. 

I have made some personal goals.  I am trying to memorize 7 scriptures a week.  Today I was working on Acts 3.19-21.  It was kinda interesting to be reminding that everything that has been revealed today, was revealed back when Christ and his apostles were on the Earth.  So when I have questions about gospel doctrine, all of the answers really can be found in the scriptures.

But, I have had problems sleeping.  I haven't been able to sleep through the night since I left the MTC.  I have been waking up 6-7 times during the night.  I haven't been able to get more than 2 hours of sleep straight.  I go to bed super tired, and on time, but I wake up super tired and it is hard to get started in the mornings.  I think it might be because of the mouth guards, but I don't know.

Love,

Elder Peterson


 

Tuesday, April 9

It is super cool out here.  It seems that every week things are getting better.  Not all at once, but bit by bit, we are starting to do more and more in the time that we are given.  This past week we have had a couple different miracles.  

Monday, April 1st: 

1)    We were able to teach two new people and we were able to give them Book of Mormons with commitments to read and pray about it.  

Tuesday:   

2)    We were able to drop in on S., and have a focused lesson with him about the Spirit World, The Resurrection  Immortality and Judgement, and The Kingdoms of Glory.  And another one of S.' friends was there listening about what we were talking about.

Wednesday:

3)    At N.'s home, she told us that she had been reading and praying about the Book of Mormon and she said that she had received a witness that it was true!  She said that when we met with her before, it really helped that we had clarified what exactly the Book of Mormon was.  It reminded me of Preach My Gospel when it says that it is extremely difficult for someone to receive a witness that something is true, if there is confusion about that thing.

Thursday:

4)    We were able to teach A., and when we went over to her home, she had sat all eight people at her house down to listen to us, and her granddaughter, L., asked for a Book of Mormon to read and study.  So hopefully, we will be able to continue teaching L.  as well as A.

Friday:

5)    I was able to find ancestors that haven't had their temple work done, and I was able to request their names!!!

Saturday/Sunday:

6)    At General Conference, all of the questions that less active members and investigators have asked to us were addressed in the talks that were given!  We were also able to teach O. about the Plan of Salvation, and we have a time set up to teach him again this coming week!

Monday April 8th

7)    We were able to continue teaching Y. (one of the people we had started teaching on the 1st) about the Plan of Salvation, and she has continued reading, and we were able to commit her to saying the prayer the next time that we visit with her.

So this past week has been really awesome.  I will continue looking for more names.

Thanks

Elder Peterson

Monday, April 8

We don't have much time right now, so more will come tomorrow, but this past week we have been able to get a new investigator plus a pretty solid referral that is going to be finalized this Sunday.  Loved the talks in General Conference.  All of the issues that our investigators have had were addressed in General Conference, so I am super excited for meeting with them and telling them about those things

Love 

Elder Peterson