FELIZ NATAL TODO MUNDO!
It really doesn’t feel so christmasy right now because it is hot and im wearing sandals and i have some mean tan lines going on. BUT everyone here is excited and I love it! It is such a good time to preach the gospel. Peoples minds are already on our Savior Jesus Christ and when they see the name on my tag, they like to talk and sometimes if we are lucky they like to listen also.
This week I had some hilarious I LOVE BRAZIL moments that made me think of a few of you. Primarily Lindsey. Friday we had the ward Christmas party and one thing that I really love about brasillieros is they love music. Especially American music when they don’t know the words. So in the midst of a ward Christmas party, Beyonce was blaring from the speakers. The song, if you liked it then you should have put a ring on it was playing so I was smiling pretty big, but this is the hilarious part. The 2nd counselor in the bishopric is a cute little old brasilleiro named Valdomiro, he is gray and slightly balding and smiles with his whole face especially his eyes. When he saw me smiling he starts dancing to beyonces all my single ladies and I started laughing so hard. One of his sons served in Salt Lake and knows English so he and his brother started dancing too with there fingers covering their ring fingers in unison. HILARIOUS.
Sunday it rained and it was a wonderful break from this heat but I realize that for the next 15 months I will be soaking from either sweat or rain. Awesome. It was beautiful and I was so happy.
W e have been teaching a lot. Unfortunately a very common problem with investigators are that they need to get married before they are baptized. Slightly less common but still common is that people need to get divorced from their previous spouse and married to the person they are with now. One lady has been ´married´ for 30 years with the spouse she has now but is still legally married to another. So different, but I guess it is expensive to get divorces so people just don’t do it. We are waiting on 4 or 5 people to get divorces so we can get them married. All amazing people ready, just one more stumbling block I guess.
Sunday we went to one of the favelas that we don’t like to go to much beause we got robbed last time we were there after dark and we were trying to find one of the ladies we had met but lost her contact info with the bolsa. She was travelling but we found her brother in law and he has been a member for 13 years, has been less active but wants to return to church. He has two kids that aren’t baptized and we are teaching them. There mom died about a year ago and they have been so sad, I know that this gospel will bless there lives. I love those kids, they are so smart and sweet.
We taught there older cousin who is basically a walking bible. We were kind of scared to teach him but we prayed and had faith that God would make up for the knowledge we lacked. One of the most frustrating things in the world is when you understand exactly what someone is saying but lack the ability to respond correctly. However, Sis Murbaki rocked the lesson. He had some strange ideas about prophets but sister Murbaki responded so well to all of his rebuttles. He tried telling us that we were prophets, but we responded that we have prophets on the earth today that have the power of God. It was amazing. I think in moments where my testimony is challenged literally, is when I feel strongest. The only thing I could communicate with power was my testimony. That is all I need.
I know we have a prophet on the earth today, Thomas S Monson and that he guides this church under the direction of the Savior Jesus Christ. This is his church. I know that the 14 other men who serve with him are prophets seers and revelators. We can obey anything those men say and we cant go wrong. Simple and amazing the love God has for us that He sends prophets in all times, that He sent his son Jesus Christ to organize his church with prophets apostles and the power of God. Really think about Christ this holiday. Not just about his amazing birth, but celebrate his life. He is our perfect example. Follow his example, you will be happy. I have seen the difference in my life and the lives of others. Strive to be like Him, the only thing you have to change is your thoughts. If you change your thoughts, your actions follow. It is amazing the power of ideas and thoughts. I am so grateful that God blessed me with this power to think and learn. Amazing.
I love you all very much I hope you have a WONDERFUL Christmas.
Proud to wear the tag.
Sister Peterson
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
All i want for Christmas is Air Conditioning.
I keep hearing how cold it is in your neck of the woods, meanwhile i look like i just went swimming half the time. Man i love Maceió.
Heavenly Father has blessed us so much this week. Oh man. The past four weeks i kept telling Heavenly Father that Im ready for the confirmation of faith that comes after the trial (Ether 12:6) whenever He is ready and He totally came through, He always does. I wasnt expecting it this soon.
We went from about zero to amazing this week. It started with a reference named Iraen. He is smart, he has lots of questions, fortunately for us, God has a lot of answers. He came to church with us on Sunday and we are going to keep teaching him. He is really interested and is awesome.
We have been teaching another 18 year old man named Carlos and his mother Claudia. I felt like they werent really interested and was ready to move on, but fortunately Sis Murbaki gave them the benefit of the doubt. It turns out that Carlos has been thinking a lot about the gospel and it occupied his mind for three days. HE believes its true and when we asked him to read HE ACTUALLY READ and he liked it. He believes the BOM is true and we are preparing him for baptism. When we first contacted him about 4 weeks ago he was at his neighbors house, they all listened to our message but the neighbors were another religion. They talked to us about there problems and we prayed for them and left. Well this past week, 4 weeks later, the neighbor Meri came over while we were teaching carlos and she said that after we had met with them all of her problems got better and that she is ready to learn and has accepted a baptismal date.
MIRACLES are happening in Bebedouro. It is amazing. It seems like all of a sudden we are finding those people that Heavenly Father has been preparing for us to teach. The joy i have felt in this past week has far outweighed the sorrow and heartache and discouragement of the three weeks prior. MAN I LOVE THIS WORK.
I only have one more week before transfers, hopefully i will stay in this wonderful area. I trust Heavenly Father to know what is best though. He has given me so many opportunities to hear and follow the spirit this week. Yesterday we were walking and I saw a family in a house far in the corner of the street and i felt like i needed to walk to their house and talk to them. They invited us in before we really said anything and as we talked we learned that the ladies daughter had died not long ago. We taught her the plan of Salvation, it is what she needed to hear.
The language is still rough. so rough. i understand a lot. Even words i dont know i can understand if i pay attention, it is so hard to pay attention. My mind wanders so easily but im trying to force myself. It is important. The speaking part is the hardest. my accent is hard for people to understand. They are nice and patient with me. I cant wait for the day that those words are the first words in my mind. when i read i dont have to translate everyword to english to understand. Im progressing and an amazingly fast pace, but sometimes it feels like forever. Im not as grateful for this gift ive been blessed with as i should be, but im learning to give gratitude more.
Christmas is coming! are you all excited? i will call friday morning sometime. send me phone numbers por favor. i cant wait to hear your voices!
proud to wear the tag,
sister Peterson
Heavenly Father has blessed us so much this week. Oh man. The past four weeks i kept telling Heavenly Father that Im ready for the confirmation of faith that comes after the trial (Ether 12:6) whenever He is ready and He totally came through, He always does. I wasnt expecting it this soon.
We went from about zero to amazing this week. It started with a reference named Iraen. He is smart, he has lots of questions, fortunately for us, God has a lot of answers. He came to church with us on Sunday and we are going to keep teaching him. He is really interested and is awesome.
We have been teaching another 18 year old man named Carlos and his mother Claudia. I felt like they werent really interested and was ready to move on, but fortunately Sis Murbaki gave them the benefit of the doubt. It turns out that Carlos has been thinking a lot about the gospel and it occupied his mind for three days. HE believes its true and when we asked him to read HE ACTUALLY READ and he liked it. He believes the BOM is true and we are preparing him for baptism. When we first contacted him about 4 weeks ago he was at his neighbors house, they all listened to our message but the neighbors were another religion. They talked to us about there problems and we prayed for them and left. Well this past week, 4 weeks later, the neighbor Meri came over while we were teaching carlos and she said that after we had met with them all of her problems got better and that she is ready to learn and has accepted a baptismal date.
MIRACLES are happening in Bebedouro. It is amazing. It seems like all of a sudden we are finding those people that Heavenly Father has been preparing for us to teach. The joy i have felt in this past week has far outweighed the sorrow and heartache and discouragement of the three weeks prior. MAN I LOVE THIS WORK.
I only have one more week before transfers, hopefully i will stay in this wonderful area. I trust Heavenly Father to know what is best though. He has given me so many opportunities to hear and follow the spirit this week. Yesterday we were walking and I saw a family in a house far in the corner of the street and i felt like i needed to walk to their house and talk to them. They invited us in before we really said anything and as we talked we learned that the ladies daughter had died not long ago. We taught her the plan of Salvation, it is what she needed to hear.
The language is still rough. so rough. i understand a lot. Even words i dont know i can understand if i pay attention, it is so hard to pay attention. My mind wanders so easily but im trying to force myself. It is important. The speaking part is the hardest. my accent is hard for people to understand. They are nice and patient with me. I cant wait for the day that those words are the first words in my mind. when i read i dont have to translate everyword to english to understand. Im progressing and an amazingly fast pace, but sometimes it feels like forever. Im not as grateful for this gift ive been blessed with as i should be, but im learning to give gratitude more.
Christmas is coming! are you all excited? i will call friday morning sometime. send me phone numbers por favor. i cant wait to hear your voices!
proud to wear the tag,
sister Peterson
Remember how i live in Brazil
Dear all of you.
A few things since you last saw me. I have always publicly coveted curly hair. I have curly hair now. I mostly love it. Somedays i miss the old JP. I have a pretty attractive farmers tan. And I dont really speak English all that much.
Yesterday we had our zone conference for Christmas. It was great and I love Presidente Beynon and Sister Beynon. That man is truly inspired. He talked about our Savior Jesus Christ and the meaning of Christmas. I consider myself blessed to be able to focus all of my energy on that meaning this Christmas and not on the commercial part of it. It is great!
People here love Christmas. A lot of them have little fake pinetrees and papai noels everywhere. i love it. We are going to spend Christmas with a trio of other sisters in another area at the Bishops house with his family. i love that family they are AMAZING.
We still havent been able to find any solid investigators. It is a little discouraging, we are working very hard, but we are learning it is all on the Lords time. Our Zone Leader E. Wheat and E. Youngberg came with us to some lessons and i learned so much about teaching from them. E. YB leaves in about two months and E. Wheat has been hear for over a year and a half. It is amazing how they teach so well and so fluently. I have hope.
The language has good days and not so good days. I realized about three days ago that a lot of the time i dont have to translate into English in my mind and im speaking a little faster, but it is still hard and intimidating to communicate effectively. I have a lot to learn. Im really learning a lot about trusting the Lord, a few times ive felt that there was no way i was going to be able to climb all the way up that hill teach two lessons and be able to make it back home because i was so tired or frustrated or discourage. It somehow happens. The Lord is carrying me right now and i am learning.
It is amazing the things that you can learn when you take time to ponder and search them. i get one hour of personal study each day, it never seems long enough. Things that ive been taught my whole life that i probably could quote through and through, things that i thought i understood well are finally clicking in my mind. Every now and then ill think, that makes sense! When i wasnt too preoccupied about it before. my mind is changing my heart is changing everything about me is changing and its so hard and its so interesting to think about the difference between the JP one week ago, three months ago, and one year ago. Amazing and hard, beautiful and frustrating.
D&C 121:7-8, my situation is cake compared to Joseph Smith in Liberty Jail, but all in all have PEACE, ENDURE IT WELL, it will work out. It always does.
Happy birthday TODAY to my big brother, my example, and my friend. I love you and I hope your birthday is wonderful!
Oh family i get to call home for Christmas! whooooooooooooey!
love you all so much.
proud to wear the tag,
Sister J. Peterson
A few things since you last saw me. I have always publicly coveted curly hair. I have curly hair now. I mostly love it. Somedays i miss the old JP. I have a pretty attractive farmers tan. And I dont really speak English all that much.
Yesterday we had our zone conference for Christmas. It was great and I love Presidente Beynon and Sister Beynon. That man is truly inspired. He talked about our Savior Jesus Christ and the meaning of Christmas. I consider myself blessed to be able to focus all of my energy on that meaning this Christmas and not on the commercial part of it. It is great!
People here love Christmas. A lot of them have little fake pinetrees and papai noels everywhere. i love it. We are going to spend Christmas with a trio of other sisters in another area at the Bishops house with his family. i love that family they are AMAZING.
We still havent been able to find any solid investigators. It is a little discouraging, we are working very hard, but we are learning it is all on the Lords time. Our Zone Leader E. Wheat and E. Youngberg came with us to some lessons and i learned so much about teaching from them. E. YB leaves in about two months and E. Wheat has been hear for over a year and a half. It is amazing how they teach so well and so fluently. I have hope.
The language has good days and not so good days. I realized about three days ago that a lot of the time i dont have to translate into English in my mind and im speaking a little faster, but it is still hard and intimidating to communicate effectively. I have a lot to learn. Im really learning a lot about trusting the Lord, a few times ive felt that there was no way i was going to be able to climb all the way up that hill teach two lessons and be able to make it back home because i was so tired or frustrated or discourage. It somehow happens. The Lord is carrying me right now and i am learning.
It is amazing the things that you can learn when you take time to ponder and search them. i get one hour of personal study each day, it never seems long enough. Things that ive been taught my whole life that i probably could quote through and through, things that i thought i understood well are finally clicking in my mind. Every now and then ill think, that makes sense! When i wasnt too preoccupied about it before. my mind is changing my heart is changing everything about me is changing and its so hard and its so interesting to think about the difference between the JP one week ago, three months ago, and one year ago. Amazing and hard, beautiful and frustrating.
D&C 121:7-8, my situation is cake compared to Joseph Smith in Liberty Jail, but all in all have PEACE, ENDURE IT WELL, it will work out. It always does.
Happy birthday TODAY to my big brother, my example, and my friend. I love you and I hope your birthday is wonderful!
Oh family i get to call home for Christmas! whooooooooooooey!
love you all so much.
proud to wear the tag,
Sister J. Peterson
My life be like ooh ahh
Dearest friends and familia.
Man i love you all. I feel like everyday of my life is an adventure hear in this amazing country. Ive used the verb assaltar quite a bit this past week and we had another close call this morning.
We were waiting at the bus stop to go to a mission activity. I was pretty much oblivious to the whole thing, but a guy was sitting by sister Murbaki and told her where he was going. When his bus passed sister Murbaki became nervous, when the bus passed two more times and ours hadnt arrived we started walking to the other bus stop and he started following us. I didnt really know what was going on until sister Murbaki yelled, Corre! Corre! (run) and started booking it. We ran until we came to this man and woman in a truck. The guy had started walking faster and eventually passed us when we stayed next to these people. They were really nice and guess what, they spoke English! man i miss that language sometimes. The lady lived in Oklahoma for one year. They gave us a ride to our activity and we were safe, but all in all i realize i need to pay attention more often.
Maceio is sunny hot and humid, BUT we get this amazing wind that cools you down when you look and feel like a wet dog. interesting, the sun literally rises at about 4 am so i usually wake up at 5 feeling like im late.
The ward here is awesome. The Bishop and his family live a few houses away and we talk to them almost everyday. They go to a lot of lessons with us and are very involved in the work. I love their kids, Beatrice who is 7 and Thomas who is 3. Bea is so smart she loves learning english so i teach her english and she helps me with portuguese when we visit. Thomas reminds me of connor. He is hilarious and adorable. Makes me miss my sobrinhos at home.
The culture overall is really laid back, humble, and simple. Apparently most of the words i learned in the CTM are words the people rarely use and dont fully understand here. I have to revise my teaching vocabulary daily but sister Murbaki is very helpful.
A lot of the time the people dont understand my accent, but sister murbaki says it is because they dont pay attention. After teaching a lesson i had a really hard time with one of the ladies told me that she liked my accent, it made me smile. I get discouraged when i mess up in lessons, i feel really stupid and realize my pride kills me. I know i am not the only one who struggles learning a language, but sometimes i feel like it. But HF always reminds me of his love and that he is helping me. One day a lady asked me to speak english because her daughter knew a few words and i started saying, Oi! meu nome é. It took me about five seconds to remember how to say hi my name is sister Peterson. I realized that i am improving everyday and that i need to relax and not stress so much.
God has blessed me with this amazing opportunity to see and think in a totally new language. To see the world from a different view point and to be able to understand a people whose culture and ideas are completely foreign to me. Amazing. It is rough sometimes, change always is, but i cannot wait till i can think in Portuguese, what a blessing that will come from this trial. I have to think of that everyday.
There is one member, Irmã Elba who was baptized about 5 months ago and all in all this lady is a ROCK an example and she gives me hope everytime i get to talk to her. Her circumstances are humble, but she pushes herself to learn and grow in the gospel. She is already preparing for the temple. She has given up so much to be a member and is solid. Her faith and her love of the Lord is amazing. She was telling me her conversion story last night, how she tried to ignore the missionaries as much as possible for a long time. But now she is probably one of the strongest members of this ward. It gives me hope that even though we dont have a strong teaching pool if we are consistent and loving we can help someone.
My goal for this transfer is found in section 108 in the doctrine and covenants specifically in verse 7: Therefore, strengthen your brethren in all your conversation, in all your prayers, in all your exhortations, and in all your doings. this is my goal for my life to leave those that at meet and the areas that i live and serve in better than how i found them.
I know this work is the Lords work. I know that He leads this church today and that through the power of God miracles happen every single day. I am protected by that power, i am sustained by that power, i am working by that power. Now more than every i realize how very real it is. God loves his children, He knows them, and He has sent me to this area of the world to learn this beautiful language so that i can tell them all about it. It is true, i wouldnt be here if it wasnt.
Proud to wear the tag,
Sister Peterson
ps. Grandma i received your letters thank you very much! To my friends i can receive your emails but i cannot respond UNLESS you are on a mission in another part of the world. So if you want a response send me your mailing address and i will write you the best letter of your life. ALSO this is my mailing address i think it was wrong from before:
Sister Jessica Ruth Peterson
Ed Work Center
Rua Dom Antonio Brandão 333
Sala 402 Farol
57021-190 Maceió, AL
BRASIL
Man i love you all. I feel like everyday of my life is an adventure hear in this amazing country. Ive used the verb assaltar quite a bit this past week and we had another close call this morning.
We were waiting at the bus stop to go to a mission activity. I was pretty much oblivious to the whole thing, but a guy was sitting by sister Murbaki and told her where he was going. When his bus passed sister Murbaki became nervous, when the bus passed two more times and ours hadnt arrived we started walking to the other bus stop and he started following us. I didnt really know what was going on until sister Murbaki yelled, Corre! Corre! (run) and started booking it. We ran until we came to this man and woman in a truck. The guy had started walking faster and eventually passed us when we stayed next to these people. They were really nice and guess what, they spoke English! man i miss that language sometimes. The lady lived in Oklahoma for one year. They gave us a ride to our activity and we were safe, but all in all i realize i need to pay attention more often.
Maceio is sunny hot and humid, BUT we get this amazing wind that cools you down when you look and feel like a wet dog. interesting, the sun literally rises at about 4 am so i usually wake up at 5 feeling like im late.
The ward here is awesome. The Bishop and his family live a few houses away and we talk to them almost everyday. They go to a lot of lessons with us and are very involved in the work. I love their kids, Beatrice who is 7 and Thomas who is 3. Bea is so smart she loves learning english so i teach her english and she helps me with portuguese when we visit. Thomas reminds me of connor. He is hilarious and adorable. Makes me miss my sobrinhos at home.
The culture overall is really laid back, humble, and simple. Apparently most of the words i learned in the CTM are words the people rarely use and dont fully understand here. I have to revise my teaching vocabulary daily but sister Murbaki is very helpful.
A lot of the time the people dont understand my accent, but sister murbaki says it is because they dont pay attention. After teaching a lesson i had a really hard time with one of the ladies told me that she liked my accent, it made me smile. I get discouraged when i mess up in lessons, i feel really stupid and realize my pride kills me. I know i am not the only one who struggles learning a language, but sometimes i feel like it. But HF always reminds me of his love and that he is helping me. One day a lady asked me to speak english because her daughter knew a few words and i started saying, Oi! meu nome é. It took me about five seconds to remember how to say hi my name is sister Peterson. I realized that i am improving everyday and that i need to relax and not stress so much.
God has blessed me with this amazing opportunity to see and think in a totally new language. To see the world from a different view point and to be able to understand a people whose culture and ideas are completely foreign to me. Amazing. It is rough sometimes, change always is, but i cannot wait till i can think in Portuguese, what a blessing that will come from this trial. I have to think of that everyday.
There is one member, Irmã Elba who was baptized about 5 months ago and all in all this lady is a ROCK an example and she gives me hope everytime i get to talk to her. Her circumstances are humble, but she pushes herself to learn and grow in the gospel. She is already preparing for the temple. She has given up so much to be a member and is solid. Her faith and her love of the Lord is amazing. She was telling me her conversion story last night, how she tried to ignore the missionaries as much as possible for a long time. But now she is probably one of the strongest members of this ward. It gives me hope that even though we dont have a strong teaching pool if we are consistent and loving we can help someone.
My goal for this transfer is found in section 108 in the doctrine and covenants specifically in verse 7: Therefore, strengthen your brethren in all your conversation, in all your prayers, in all your exhortations, and in all your doings. this is my goal for my life to leave those that at meet and the areas that i live and serve in better than how i found them.
I know this work is the Lords work. I know that He leads this church today and that through the power of God miracles happen every single day. I am protected by that power, i am sustained by that power, i am working by that power. Now more than every i realize how very real it is. God loves his children, He knows them, and He has sent me to this area of the world to learn this beautiful language so that i can tell them all about it. It is true, i wouldnt be here if it wasnt.
Proud to wear the tag,
Sister Peterson
ps. Grandma i received your letters thank you very much! To my friends i can receive your emails but i cannot respond UNLESS you are on a mission in another part of the world. So if you want a response send me your mailing address and i will write you the best letter of your life. ALSO this is my mailing address i think it was wrong from before:
Sister Jessica Ruth Peterson
Ed Work Center
Rua Dom Antonio Brandão 333
Sala 402 Farol
57021-190 Maceió, AL
BRASIL
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Didnt you tell him they were the Lords chips?
Dear people that i love:
if my week had to be summed up into one word it would be: INTENSE
It has been a very trying week this week, filled with discouragement, laughter, and a lot of Portuguese.
As far as I have seen and I walk around this area a lot, I am the only white person. I am learning so much about this culture and i like it. I kind of feel like all social norms i have learned in the past 21 years of life are out the window. The personal space thing is non existent almost, I havent been kissed on the cheek so many times in my life. One night I tried making a contact and Sis Murbaki didnt notice and kept walking so i went to shake this brasilleiros hand and he pulled me in and lay a big one on my cheek. We were teaching a lesson in one of the houses and the lady~s neighbor came over, saw me, and within seconds my head was burrowed in the chest of a 50 year old brasilliera who i had never spoken to in my life. Ive also learned that if you are at a persons house and they ask you if you would like juice or something to drink, really it means that they are going to make you dinner and you should probably get seconds, with every meal you should probably get seconds.
I get really discouraged about the language, but one thing that is really nice is brasilians love love love to talk. So i can get by pretty good with smiling nodding saying sim and poís é. They just keep talking to me and i just keep smiling.
Sunday night we were walking home at abouty 8:40 at night, 20 minutes before we needed to be home and i was walking about 5 steps behind sister Murbaki (the sidewalks are kinda weird and unpredictable so i usually walk behind her) All of a sudden i was really paranoid and then i heard some footsteps behind me. i stepped to the side a little and i saw a skinny dark brasillian man, barefoot run past me. He went up to sister murbaki and pulled her bag over her head. It happened so fast! Then he ran across the street and i kid you not, jumped up and pulled himself over a wall and was gone. It was insane!Sis. Murbaki was very upset and I was scared, really scared id never experienced this before, but part of me wanted to start laughing hysterically. The guy totally reminded me of the guy off nacho libre, nachos fighting companion the one who only believes in science, when he stole the chips and jumped over the wall. I really wanted to say: Didnt you tell him it was the Lords bolsa? but i didnt because i didnt know how to say it in portuguese and sis. Murbaki has never seen that movie. Needless to say hilarious and scary and awesome. There wasnt really anything of worth in it only our cell phone and her perscription sunglasses and 3 reais. In it though was her planner that had all of our contacts addresses, all of our work for the past week pretty much gone, but we have faith that we will be able to find those people we contacted and all will be good.
Needless to say, this past week is proving this experience to be one of the most intimidating experiences. However, when I am discouraged, HF always reminds me of why I am here and I am reminded that this work is happiness or as Sis. Murbaki says Missão é a festa! Sometimes that comes in the form of a scripture or a quote i~ve heard. Most often it comes in the form of a little brazillian smile. Whenever im stressed if i smile at a child here, 98% guaranteed I will get the most heartwarming smile a girl could as for in return. I love these people.
One quote that one of the sisters in the CTM gave me helps me a lot and i believe it can apply to life in general and any problem you face:
INVICITUS by William Ernest Henley
Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the Pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.
In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeoning of chance.
My head is bloody, but unbowed.
Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
and yet the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find me, unafraid.
It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.
I realize i always have a choice, i have a choice to be upset after Sis Murbaki has repeated herself and i still dont understand what she is saying, or I can relax and try harder. I have a choice to be angry when some punk literally disrupts a full week of work, or i can laugh because he looks like the guy from nacho libre. In all things I know that Heavenly father is mindful of me. He knows me and He understands EVERYTHING that Im struggling with. In Alma 26:36 Ammon explains this point that in all things God is mindful of us, Wanderers in a strange land. If that is not me I dont know what is. I know why i am here and i know this is where i should be. Heavenly Father is helping me EVERY DAY to become the woman i would like to be and right now im being molded and sometimes its frustrating, but one day i will speak portuguese and understand what all this is for.
Thank you so much everyone who sent me emails this week! they always help. Thank you all for your support, know that you are in my prayers and that i love you all very much.
Proud to wear the tag.
Sister Jessica Ruth Peterson
if my week had to be summed up into one word it would be: INTENSE
It has been a very trying week this week, filled with discouragement, laughter, and a lot of Portuguese.
As far as I have seen and I walk around this area a lot, I am the only white person. I am learning so much about this culture and i like it. I kind of feel like all social norms i have learned in the past 21 years of life are out the window. The personal space thing is non existent almost, I havent been kissed on the cheek so many times in my life. One night I tried making a contact and Sis Murbaki didnt notice and kept walking so i went to shake this brasilleiros hand and he pulled me in and lay a big one on my cheek. We were teaching a lesson in one of the houses and the lady~s neighbor came over, saw me, and within seconds my head was burrowed in the chest of a 50 year old brasilliera who i had never spoken to in my life. Ive also learned that if you are at a persons house and they ask you if you would like juice or something to drink, really it means that they are going to make you dinner and you should probably get seconds, with every meal you should probably get seconds.
I get really discouraged about the language, but one thing that is really nice is brasilians love love love to talk. So i can get by pretty good with smiling nodding saying sim and poís é. They just keep talking to me and i just keep smiling.
Sunday night we were walking home at abouty 8:40 at night, 20 minutes before we needed to be home and i was walking about 5 steps behind sister Murbaki (the sidewalks are kinda weird and unpredictable so i usually walk behind her) All of a sudden i was really paranoid and then i heard some footsteps behind me. i stepped to the side a little and i saw a skinny dark brasillian man, barefoot run past me. He went up to sister murbaki and pulled her bag over her head. It happened so fast! Then he ran across the street and i kid you not, jumped up and pulled himself over a wall and was gone. It was insane!Sis. Murbaki was very upset and I was scared, really scared id never experienced this before, but part of me wanted to start laughing hysterically. The guy totally reminded me of the guy off nacho libre, nachos fighting companion the one who only believes in science, when he stole the chips and jumped over the wall. I really wanted to say: Didnt you tell him it was the Lords bolsa? but i didnt because i didnt know how to say it in portuguese and sis. Murbaki has never seen that movie. Needless to say hilarious and scary and awesome. There wasnt really anything of worth in it only our cell phone and her perscription sunglasses and 3 reais. In it though was her planner that had all of our contacts addresses, all of our work for the past week pretty much gone, but we have faith that we will be able to find those people we contacted and all will be good.
Needless to say, this past week is proving this experience to be one of the most intimidating experiences. However, when I am discouraged, HF always reminds me of why I am here and I am reminded that this work is happiness or as Sis. Murbaki says Missão é a festa! Sometimes that comes in the form of a scripture or a quote i~ve heard. Most often it comes in the form of a little brazillian smile. Whenever im stressed if i smile at a child here, 98% guaranteed I will get the most heartwarming smile a girl could as for in return. I love these people.
One quote that one of the sisters in the CTM gave me helps me a lot and i believe it can apply to life in general and any problem you face:
INVICITUS by William Ernest Henley
Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the Pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.
In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeoning of chance.
My head is bloody, but unbowed.
Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
and yet the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find me, unafraid.
It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.
I realize i always have a choice, i have a choice to be upset after Sis Murbaki has repeated herself and i still dont understand what she is saying, or I can relax and try harder. I have a choice to be angry when some punk literally disrupts a full week of work, or i can laugh because he looks like the guy from nacho libre. In all things I know that Heavenly father is mindful of me. He knows me and He understands EVERYTHING that Im struggling with. In Alma 26:36 Ammon explains this point that in all things God is mindful of us, Wanderers in a strange land. If that is not me I dont know what is. I know why i am here and i know this is where i should be. Heavenly Father is helping me EVERY DAY to become the woman i would like to be and right now im being molded and sometimes its frustrating, but one day i will speak portuguese and understand what all this is for.
Thank you so much everyone who sent me emails this week! they always help. Thank you all for your support, know that you are in my prayers and that i love you all very much.
Proud to wear the tag.
Sister Jessica Ruth Peterson
thoughts da Galega
Apparently i am a GALEGA. The past 24 hours has been intense to say the least. Yesterday I left the CTM at 430 in the morning to go to the place ive been dreaming of for six months, MACEIÓ! I have realized one thing, once you become accustomed or comfortable with what you are doing, Heavenly Father, lovingly, gives you the opportunity to be ripped from that comfort zone and thrown into another zone that just lacks that. Needless to say the bubble of the CTM is much different from Maceió, but I love it I wouldnt change it for anything.
My mission president, Presidente Beynon and his wife are really great people. Yesterday i went to the mission home met them ate REAL ICECREAM and then I met my new companheira, Sis Murbaki. She is so amazing and so kind. She is the kind of companion i would like to become. She is always looking for opportunities to serve me and help me in anyway, its been a full day with this cute little brazillian and i ALREADY love her!
She is from São Paulo, I havent heard a word of English from her which is intimidating but i~m excited for the opportunity to be completely submerged in this culture. She has been out 8 months and im glad she is my comp.
Last night sis murbaki and me rode in a car with sis. moyle and her new companheira. When we dropped them off i got back in the car and listened to sister Murbaki talking to the lady driving us. At that moment i had a, youre not in kansas anymore moment and almost cried. But i didnt it was great.
We went and visited some other sister missionaries near our area of BEBEDOURA and they had colored a picture of a white missionary wearing a pink dress and having long blonde hair with a big BEM VINDA SISTINHA! we ate dinner and i learned a lot of things, that is when i learned that white girls with green or blue eyes are called Galega. I really like the sisters here they are hilarious. there are only 12-14 sisters here and i have met 7 of them. awesome.
my apartment is pretty it is upstairs so i get to see my area very well from our porch balcony thingy. I love this place there is no place i would rather be.
My last week at the CTM flew by and it seems like it was a long time ago not 48 hours ago that i was there. i studied alma 26 a lot last week. Ammon is my hero. Such an awesome example and part of how i feel when i get to teach others about the gospel. There is this power that comes and when i feel inadequate it takes over. It is amazing. i was able to talk to the man sitting next to me on the airplane to maceio. His accent was so hard to understand but i got my point across and he wanted to meet with the missionaries so it was good all around.
oh and i also speak portuguese somewhat, who would have thought that could happen!
love you familia!
Sister Peterson
My mission president, Presidente Beynon and his wife are really great people. Yesterday i went to the mission home met them ate REAL ICECREAM and then I met my new companheira, Sis Murbaki. She is so amazing and so kind. She is the kind of companion i would like to become. She is always looking for opportunities to serve me and help me in anyway, its been a full day with this cute little brazillian and i ALREADY love her!
She is from São Paulo, I havent heard a word of English from her which is intimidating but i~m excited for the opportunity to be completely submerged in this culture. She has been out 8 months and im glad she is my comp.
Last night sis murbaki and me rode in a car with sis. moyle and her new companheira. When we dropped them off i got back in the car and listened to sister Murbaki talking to the lady driving us. At that moment i had a, youre not in kansas anymore moment and almost cried. But i didnt it was great.
We went and visited some other sister missionaries near our area of BEBEDOURA and they had colored a picture of a white missionary wearing a pink dress and having long blonde hair with a big BEM VINDA SISTINHA! we ate dinner and i learned a lot of things, that is when i learned that white girls with green or blue eyes are called Galega. I really like the sisters here they are hilarious. there are only 12-14 sisters here and i have met 7 of them. awesome.
my apartment is pretty it is upstairs so i get to see my area very well from our porch balcony thingy. I love this place there is no place i would rather be.
My last week at the CTM flew by and it seems like it was a long time ago not 48 hours ago that i was there. i studied alma 26 a lot last week. Ammon is my hero. Such an awesome example and part of how i feel when i get to teach others about the gospel. There is this power that comes and when i feel inadequate it takes over. It is amazing. i was able to talk to the man sitting next to me on the airplane to maceio. His accent was so hard to understand but i got my point across and he wanted to meet with the missionaries so it was good all around.
oh and i also speak portuguese somewhat, who would have thought that could happen!
love you familia!
Sister Peterson
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Another Update
I am once again sitting in a cookie shop (mr. Cheney cookies) smelling the baking of delicious cookies and feeling pretty incredulous. In exactly one week i~ll be on a jet plane to the one place ive only been dreaming of for the past 6 months. Excited, nervous, happy, sad, and ready. I will miss some of the amazing people that ive met here at the CTM but 9 weeks is enough. Perhaps my Portuguese is far from fluencia, but I had some experiences this week that give me faith that what i cant do Christ and the Spirit will make up for.
Friday night my whole district six 19 year old boys and me and sister Moyle hopped into a small van that dumped us off in the middle of one of the largest cities in the world. I only remember seeing this many people in movies. Its like New York but brazillian. We had two Book of Mormons and two shiny name tags bearing the name of the man who made this all possible and the names of our families. We had three hours to proselyte and let me tell you, some of the best three hours of my life.
The very first man we talked to was Josias. He was incredibly nice and recognized right away that we were new at the whole Portuguese thing. He talked slower for us and we understood a majority of what he said. We talked about the gospel with him, and it turned out he is very well versed in the bible, he knew all about the apostles in the new testament and a lot of our beliefs were similiar. We testified of the Book of Mormon and although he didnt have much time he was interested. He promised to read the book if we gave it to him. We left him smiling. Awesome experience.
The next guy we talked to talked really really fast in a strange accent. I caught like two things, sister moyle understood a little more. I knew that he thought the sao paulo temple was beautiful and he was sad. He kept talking and we didnt know what to say, but a thought popped into my mind, well a scripture Helaman 5:12 i had thought of that scripture earlier but only remembered that it was aobut building a foundation on Christ. I had him read it and he liked it. He said he believed every word of that scripture and took the BOM.
We talked to about 8 people in those three hours, but the last lady we talked to was the best out of all of them. I dont know her name and i probably will never see her again but out meeting was amazing. We stopped her and talked to her about God and she believed in the Bible and Jesus Christ. She had a family of two daughters. We asked her if she believed that she could be with her family forever. She said only as individuals, and then we told her about Eternal families. She listened intently and said, i didn~t know about this. So we told her about dispensations and the restoration of the gospel through the prophet Joseph Smith. That through the power from God he translated book to lead us and guide us today. She looked at us interested but said, i didnt know this. I bore my testimony of the Book of Mormon and how it changed my life. She asked me how. I told her that because of the teachings of the prophets in the Book of Mormon and Christs teachings I am a better person. I told her that because of this Gospel I knew that I could be with my family forever and that eventhough she had never heard this message, it was the most important message she would hear. I told her that i came from the United States to Brazil because of the importance of this message. Sister Moyle bore her testimony to her, and I felt the most amazing feelings of the spirit. Everything we said was pure truth and this lady could sense it. She was interested in our message, but we didnt have a Book to give her. We gave her a number and she promised to call it. She told us that meeting us was a blessing.
That experience was amazing. I dont know how i said all of those things, but i know i said them. If she my words were unintelligible or if by some weakness of my own would have confused her, the spirit made up for it. It was amazing. I wish i could remember this ladies name, but she is in my prayers and I am so excited to share this amazing message with more of Gods children!
There were a lot of funny things that happened this week and while proselyting also. On Sunday our district leader Elder thomson from Randolph UT was giving our sunday school lesson about Christ. Our Branch President and one of teh CTM presidents was in the class with our district when E. Thomson started talking about the story when Jesus was twelve and stayed in the temple when his parents went away. This is what E. Thomson said: After awhile they realized that Jesus wasnt with them and Mary and Joseph were like, CRAP where is Jesus! This is just the way this kid talks, he is from A small town in Utah, but our Branch President just said: Really, is that what she said? Pretty funny.
We have one teacher who is also a zone leader named Irmão Da Luz. He is hilarious. His dream is to have a kawasaki ninja motorcycle and often does this impression of driving the motorcycle complete with noises and fist shaking at the other drivers. He has a few quotable phrases that he says often like: MY GOSH! (in a thick brazillian accent almost like nacho libre) YOU GUYS ARE SO SMART! or when we are in the middle of practicing lessons in portuguese he will say something like: HOLD ON WAIT HOLD ON. TODAY WAS YOU PDAY, WHY DONT YOU BRING ME ANY CANDY DANGIT! or HOW COME YOU GUYS NEVER BRING ME BEEF JERKY? he is kind of sincere when he says it so it is really funny. Although he is hilarious, he gives some of the most powerful lessons about the gospel, i learn so much from him and i will miss this funny brazillian man muito.
Ive thought about a few things ill miss in the CTM
Toilets that i can flush toilet paper down.
Having my sheets washed for me each week.
dryers
having all my food cooked for me.
Irmão DA LUZ and Ribeiro
two of the Elders from my distric that are not going to Maceio (e. Wiggins and E. Woodhouse)
My roommates Sister Degen and Sister Leitherer
Sister Moyle as my comp (but she is going to Maceió with me so maybe i~ll have her again)
All the sisters at the MTC
Sunday afternoon naps (ps david i totally can take naps on sundays you my friend were wrong)
Im so excited to start missing all these things.
i love you all and im so grateful for the emails and letters you have been sending!
Proud to wear the tag,
Sister Peterson
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Week 7
Remember how I met an apostle last week. Well I did and it was amazing. I had the opportunity to hear from Richard G Scott of the quorum of the twelve apostles and let me tell you, that man is amazing. His message was simple, but he delivered it with so much power.
One thing that stuck with me was that missionary work is hard work. If you don~t go to bed exhausted you aren~t working hard enough.
He shared his testimony of Jesus Christ. As i reflected onthe things he said, I thought deeply about the attributes of Christ, Charity specifically. Christ was so selfless in everything He did. His love for people is apparent, but how could i ever be like that. I thought about it, our thoughts lead to actions. Yes i want to be like Christ, I want to do the things that He did and the things that, as a representative of Christ He would want me to do, but more than that I want to think like He did. I~ve been studying a lot about his life in the New Testament and the lives of his apostles after his death. That selflessness that he showed throughout his life is mirrored in the lives of his apostles. I am learning so much. Read 1 Corinthians chapter 13. My favorite verses are 11-13. Im going to work this week on having Christlike charity it is just one of many attributes that I lack, but I know I can attain.
This week i feel like my mind has been opened. Sometimes i get very discouraged especially with the language. I was praying to be able to speak this language, but when it came to understanding someone i was lost. I started praying to understand what i hear and I am not exaggerating when I say that literally almost instantaneously my brain started picking up sentence patterns and ways of remembering what people were saying to me. I~m not fluent yet, and it still takes a few moments to respong, but that occurence was just one more witness of many that builds my faith that HF is listening. I might be struggling, but as I do my best, He wil make up the rest. It was probably your prayers too!
I~m still loving it here. I think i~m almost ready to leave the CTM. i have two more weeks after this and its bye bye toilets that i can flush toilet paper down, food prepared for me, people who wash my sheets for me, and comfortable weather. Oh a lot of you keep asking me if i~m dying of heat. NOT AT ALL. it is usually rainy at least 4 days of the week and let me tell you, Brazil knows how to rain. When it is sunny it is hot but not so hot that i want to die. that all will probably change in 2 weeks but i~m totally up for summer for the next 16 months of my life. I am a little bit missing Autumn though, it is my favorite time when the leaves turn red and the air smells crisp and leaves crunch underneath your foot. best feelings ever. Enjoy it for me please. Also HAPPY HALLOWEEN THIS WEEK!!!
On Friday we went out to clean the street in front of the CTM. Sis. Moyle and I talked to a Brazillian worker for about twenty minutes. We brought up the gospel and then he started saying something about mormons sleeping in Curitiba, my vocab is limited so we listened and tried to talk to him some more. It is so cool how people here don~t mind talking about religion. It seem like it is something most americans are afraid of, but it is awesome, most people will listen to what we say.
I am lucky, Brazillians love God and like Americans, it seems like there are a lot of missionaries who don~t have that. im one blessed sister.
proud to wear the tag
Sister J. Peterson
One thing that stuck with me was that missionary work is hard work. If you don~t go to bed exhausted you aren~t working hard enough.
He shared his testimony of Jesus Christ. As i reflected onthe things he said, I thought deeply about the attributes of Christ, Charity specifically. Christ was so selfless in everything He did. His love for people is apparent, but how could i ever be like that. I thought about it, our thoughts lead to actions. Yes i want to be like Christ, I want to do the things that He did and the things that, as a representative of Christ He would want me to do, but more than that I want to think like He did. I~ve been studying a lot about his life in the New Testament and the lives of his apostles after his death. That selflessness that he showed throughout his life is mirrored in the lives of his apostles. I am learning so much. Read 1 Corinthians chapter 13. My favorite verses are 11-13. Im going to work this week on having Christlike charity it is just one of many attributes that I lack, but I know I can attain.
This week i feel like my mind has been opened. Sometimes i get very discouraged especially with the language. I was praying to be able to speak this language, but when it came to understanding someone i was lost. I started praying to understand what i hear and I am not exaggerating when I say that literally almost instantaneously my brain started picking up sentence patterns and ways of remembering what people were saying to me. I~m not fluent yet, and it still takes a few moments to respong, but that occurence was just one more witness of many that builds my faith that HF is listening. I might be struggling, but as I do my best, He wil make up the rest. It was probably your prayers too!
I~m still loving it here. I think i~m almost ready to leave the CTM. i have two more weeks after this and its bye bye toilets that i can flush toilet paper down, food prepared for me, people who wash my sheets for me, and comfortable weather. Oh a lot of you keep asking me if i~m dying of heat. NOT AT ALL. it is usually rainy at least 4 days of the week and let me tell you, Brazil knows how to rain. When it is sunny it is hot but not so hot that i want to die. that all will probably change in 2 weeks but i~m totally up for summer for the next 16 months of my life. I am a little bit missing Autumn though, it is my favorite time when the leaves turn red and the air smells crisp and leaves crunch underneath your foot. best feelings ever. Enjoy it for me please. Also HAPPY HALLOWEEN THIS WEEK!!!
On Friday we went out to clean the street in front of the CTM. Sis. Moyle and I talked to a Brazillian worker for about twenty minutes. We brought up the gospel and then he started saying something about mormons sleeping in Curitiba, my vocab is limited so we listened and tried to talk to him some more. It is so cool how people here don~t mind talking about religion. It seem like it is something most americans are afraid of, but it is awesome, most people will listen to what we say.
I am lucky, Brazillians love God and like Americans, it seems like there are a lot of missionaries who don~t have that. im one blessed sister.
proud to wear the tag
Sister J. Peterson
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
eu amo brasil
I made my first big mistake with the language this week. I was eating lunch and talking to three Brazillian sisters. I asked one of them if she had a boyfriend at home, after she told me about her hunk, i turned to the other two and said, pointing from one to the other, Voces namarados? needless to say they shook there head and had big eyes then laughed. I essentially asked if they were dating eachother not if they had boyfriends.They thought it was funny and just laughed at me.
Last Pday my district met with our old Teacher Irmã de Santana and had pastels. Afterward she came with sister moyle and me to get some lotion. All of a sudden one of the workers came up to me and started putting all of this lotion on my arm and asking, voce gosta? and then speaking portuguese really fast. I was laughing so hard and I didn~t know how to tell her that I didn~t want anymore lotion. After laughing at me for awhile, irmã de santana told the lady that i found what i was looking for. It was funny because i didn~t know how to tell her to stop and she just kept going on trying to help me. I walked out of the shop smelling like a rainbow popsicle.
Elder Richard G Scott is coming to the CTM friday, i~m way excited. We are also supposed to proselyte in São Paulo Friday but i don~t know if that will be postponed. I~m excited but scared, i~m not as confident in my language abilities as i~d like to be.
This week I have learned that Heavenly Father really hears and answers our prayers. He even hears and answers prayers given in broken, hardly intelligible Portuguese. This communication that we can have with God is amazing and it is crazy to think that most of the world isnt fully aware of this power.
A few weeks ago one other sister going to Maceio, Sister Porath, left the CTM for the mission field. Sister Moyle and I got a letter from her telling us about Maceio. Apparently she is the only American sister there right now. I only know of one other Brazillian sister missionary that has left for there recently. The letter got me so excited to go out into the mission field, i just have to speak the lingua first.
I started my sixth week yesterday, meaning i have a little less than 4 weeks before i have a brazillian companion and will need to speak Portuguese fluently. NeedlesAll i~m saying is if you remember, i~d appreciate your prayers!
I love what I~m doing. I love what Im learning. God is blessing me with knowledge and many humbling experiences, i~m pushing myself harder than i thought i could and i know that what i lack is being made up. I love you all so much.
Proud to wear the tag,
Sister Peterson
PS Happy Birthday Tomorrow Grandma! and Lindsey I totally got your letter yesterday I~m sending a letter today! my mom should have one for you at her house already.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOM DIIIIIAAAAAAA
One of the Brazillian matainance workers here at the CTM greets the missionaries all the time with a long and drawn out: BOOOOOOOOOOOOM DIIIIIIAAAAAAAA! He is the most adorable Brazillian man. He doesn~t speak a word of English but you can tell in everything he does that he loves life. He is excited about fixing broken lights and cleaning up after messy 19-25 year olds and he is ALWAYS happy. Everytime i see this man my day gets a little brighter. I decided i want to live my life so that perhaps my attitude will help others. He came up to me earlier this week and said: Sister PAY TOR SON meu filho nome e PAYTORSON. He always gets so excited to see me.
Well this week has been just like the other weeks i get up at 629 am. Get dressed and ready and study all day till 900 when i get to go pig out on delicious cake and chocolate milk then go to bed at 1030. That is mostly my days here. We have devotionals on Sundays and Tuesdays and then other devotional type things not called devotionals on saturdays. They totally get me pumped.
One thing that I have come to realize is that God is extremely good at giving constructive criticism. He is suttle when perhaps a little nudge will get me to recognize what is going on and when that just wont do, well He knows how to get my attention. Im coming to realize that i~m a pretty prideful person most of the time and humility is sometimes a hard lesson to learn. All in all im learning things about myself in ways that i never thought i~d learn them.
We got some new Brazillians this past week and they have my mealtimes. I get to practice all the time now. It is fantastic. I learned that peanut butter is Amendoim. One Elder from Recife has about the same language ability in English as i do in Portuguese so we learn a lot from eachother. It still amazes me how patient these people are. In the states most people would just say: LEARN ENGLISH.
I~m running out of time today, i guess everything is mostly the same, but i love you all and i love what i do.
Jesus Cristo e nosso Salvador e Redentor. Atraves Sua Expiacao nos podemos tornar as pessoas melhor que nos pensamos possivel. O Evangelho de JEsus Cristo e verdadeiro.
proud to wear the tag,
Sister Peterson
Friday, October 9, 2009
Dear family and Friends,
I am so grateful for those of you who sent me letters this week! My concept of time is completely messed up here. The days feel like weeks and the weeks feel like days. I am starting my fourth week tomorrow, meaning I am teaching some fake brazillian investigators after this week and then in two weeks Sister Moyle and I are proselyting out in sao paulo. Speaking real Portuguese, with real Brazillians that have never heard the gospel. We get to proselyte in Sao Paulo twice while in the CTM. This is such a great place to learn.
I never cease to be amazed at how fast the language is coming. I understand what i read for the most part, I can speak well with what i know, but when it comes to a Brazillian speaking at a normal pace i catch maybe every three words but by the time i translate it in my head they have already started on something else. I know it will come and i~m not too frustrated. well not often frustrated i guess would be better.
This past weekend was General Conference. I don~t know what it was but this was one of the best I have ever heard. They talked a lot about love and service. Dieter F Uchtdorf made a bunch of amazing points: he talked about how we all have a vast capacity to love others. That love should be our walk and our talk. We should strive to emulate the Savior in all things, but without love for our fellowman, we are nothing. one quote that really stuck out to me was: Though we are incomplete He loves us completely. Though we are imperfect, He loves us perfectly. That message so simple and so true is why I am here. God loves us so much and unfortunately not everyone knows that. The strength i have recieved from Heavenly FAther has helped me to accomplish every single goal i have ever attempted.
President Thomas S. Monson talked about the importance of serving others. He talked about the benefits for us and for humanity because of service. It totally pumped me up, it is hard sometimes but I am trying so hard to find ways to serve the people here. I only get one day a week where i am outside of the CTM but in serving my companions and district i have found that our relationships have grown closer and i am much happier. President Monson said: you will never regret the kindness you extend to those around you. God put us here on this earth to help eachother. As we serve, we are literally God~s hands.
So family and friends this is my challenge to you. Find someone this week who perhaps is down or having a hard time and find some way to serve them. Little things even. I remember a quote from Henry B. Eyring i believe that said something like: Treat every person as kind as you would treat them if they were facing the hardest trial of there life. More often than not they will be. I know that as we strive to do kind things for others we are blessed and we genuinely bless the lives of others.
Sister Moyle and I have been having a lot of fun adventures this week. We have been sitting with the Brazillians this week, most of which left this morning to the mission field. They teach us a lot of funny things and we help them with there english so its a win win situation. I asked them if they get tired of people always asking them Como Vai? and De onde voce e? and cual missao? they thought that was funny.
I try so hard to strike up conversations with the brazilian workers here at the CTM but my vocabulary is still quite limited. like i said it is coming. i love you guys so much. i can~t even begin to relate to you how much you are in my thoughts and in my prayers. Sister Moyle and I talk about our families more often than not i talk about my neices and nephews. Like the day I taught Kalena Tudo Bam and she ran around the house yelling TUDO BANG. my compenieras loved that.
Send me pictures family unfortunately i was a fubeca and totally forgot to bring some. i love you all!
Proud to wear the tag,
Sister Peterson
I am so grateful for those of you who sent me letters this week! My concept of time is completely messed up here. The days feel like weeks and the weeks feel like days. I am starting my fourth week tomorrow, meaning I am teaching some fake brazillian investigators after this week and then in two weeks Sister Moyle and I are proselyting out in sao paulo. Speaking real Portuguese, with real Brazillians that have never heard the gospel. We get to proselyte in Sao Paulo twice while in the CTM. This is such a great place to learn.
I never cease to be amazed at how fast the language is coming. I understand what i read for the most part, I can speak well with what i know, but when it comes to a Brazillian speaking at a normal pace i catch maybe every three words but by the time i translate it in my head they have already started on something else. I know it will come and i~m not too frustrated. well not often frustrated i guess would be better.
This past weekend was General Conference. I don~t know what it was but this was one of the best I have ever heard. They talked a lot about love and service. Dieter F Uchtdorf made a bunch of amazing points: he talked about how we all have a vast capacity to love others. That love should be our walk and our talk. We should strive to emulate the Savior in all things, but without love for our fellowman, we are nothing. one quote that really stuck out to me was: Though we are incomplete He loves us completely. Though we are imperfect, He loves us perfectly. That message so simple and so true is why I am here. God loves us so much and unfortunately not everyone knows that. The strength i have recieved from Heavenly FAther has helped me to accomplish every single goal i have ever attempted.
President Thomas S. Monson talked about the importance of serving others. He talked about the benefits for us and for humanity because of service. It totally pumped me up, it is hard sometimes but I am trying so hard to find ways to serve the people here. I only get one day a week where i am outside of the CTM but in serving my companions and district i have found that our relationships have grown closer and i am much happier. President Monson said: you will never regret the kindness you extend to those around you. God put us here on this earth to help eachother. As we serve, we are literally God~s hands.
So family and friends this is my challenge to you. Find someone this week who perhaps is down or having a hard time and find some way to serve them. Little things even. I remember a quote from Henry B. Eyring i believe that said something like: Treat every person as kind as you would treat them if they were facing the hardest trial of there life. More often than not they will be. I know that as we strive to do kind things for others we are blessed and we genuinely bless the lives of others.
Sister Moyle and I have been having a lot of fun adventures this week. We have been sitting with the Brazillians this week, most of which left this morning to the mission field. They teach us a lot of funny things and we help them with there english so its a win win situation. I asked them if they get tired of people always asking them Como Vai? and De onde voce e? and cual missao? they thought that was funny.
I try so hard to strike up conversations with the brazilian workers here at the CTM but my vocabulary is still quite limited. like i said it is coming. i love you guys so much. i can~t even begin to relate to you how much you are in my thoughts and in my prayers. Sister Moyle and I talk about our families more often than not i talk about my neices and nephews. Like the day I taught Kalena Tudo Bam and she ran around the house yelling TUDO BANG. my compenieras loved that.
Send me pictures family unfortunately i was a fubeca and totally forgot to bring some. i love you all!
Proud to wear the tag,
Sister Peterson
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
TUDO BAM is the word
Dear everybody that i love.
Did I ever mention that I love Brazil, Brazillians, and Brazillian Portuguese. The language is amazing and beautiful and intimidating. It is INSANE how fast it is coming. I still get frustrated because I still have a hard time understanding what Brazillians are saying to me and how to respond intelligibly, BUT I get to practice with natives daily and I~m very blessed to be here. I love BRAZIL!
I found my new favorite candy. Paçocas Rolhas. They are like reeses peanutbutter cups minus the chocolate. Delicious. Fattening. Heaven. Also VW buses seem to be the thing here, no wonder its so cool!
I have two instructors: Irmao Ribeiro and Irma De Santana. Ribeiro knows very little English but is really funny. Irma De Santana is a whole bunch of sass ground into a stocky Brazillian lady. She is hilarious and she has to be. The Elders in my district are awesome but often have trouble focusing. They always ask Brazillians to quote nacho Libre. I have to say that Brazillians say: get that corn outta my face! better than nacho does himself. Brazillians seem to do everything better.
Im in class for a minimum of 7 hours m-f and then me and my companion study for at least 2 more hours on language alone. Its a lot. Slowly i think my English is leaving me so sorry if things don~t make sense all the time. I study exclusively the gospel during personal and companion study and then for a little bit during classes. This week I~ve been thinking about families a lot. We~ve had so many Brazillian speakers come to talk to us about gospel topics and often they talk about their conversion stories. Many of the Brazillian missionaries are first generation members. Their testimonies are incredible. The gospel has changed their lives in extreme ways. The people here are so receptive i think, partly because they have their priorities straight. Family is such a huge part of there culture.
Today sister moyle and I didnt get to go to the Temple for our Pday so we went exploring in the area surrounding the CTM. We were looking for this pastel shop that everyone was telling us about. We got lost and had to ask directions. Needless to say, We don~t speak portuguese, but these people love us and are kind and smile at us as we stumble over our broken portuguese. Pastels are delicious huge and fattening as well. They are like huge empanadas.
my companheiro, sister Moyle, is probably one of the best companions anyone could ever ask for she is the perfect example of quiet dignity. She is kind, patient and hilarious. At the CTM we fast from after lunch saturday till lunch Sunday. Saturday night we were talking when out of nowhere sister moyle says: shh! do you hear that? its quiet...we should starve them more often! i laughed so hard i almost peed my pants. The Elders are so loud at night usually so it was nice.
This is an amazing experience. I cannot even begin to communicate to you all what this is like. It doesnt seem real half the time. I feel very priviledged to be serving in the most wondreful country, with the most wonderful people, teaching the thing that makes me the most happy. I love this gospel I love its influence in my life, i wouldn~t be the person i am without it.
Proud to wear the tag,
Sister Peterson
Did I ever mention that I love Brazil, Brazillians, and Brazillian Portuguese. The language is amazing and beautiful and intimidating. It is INSANE how fast it is coming. I still get frustrated because I still have a hard time understanding what Brazillians are saying to me and how to respond intelligibly, BUT I get to practice with natives daily and I~m very blessed to be here. I love BRAZIL!
I found my new favorite candy. Paçocas Rolhas. They are like reeses peanutbutter cups minus the chocolate. Delicious. Fattening. Heaven. Also VW buses seem to be the thing here, no wonder its so cool!
I have two instructors: Irmao Ribeiro and Irma De Santana. Ribeiro knows very little English but is really funny. Irma De Santana is a whole bunch of sass ground into a stocky Brazillian lady. She is hilarious and she has to be. The Elders in my district are awesome but often have trouble focusing. They always ask Brazillians to quote nacho Libre. I have to say that Brazillians say: get that corn outta my face! better than nacho does himself. Brazillians seem to do everything better.
Im in class for a minimum of 7 hours m-f and then me and my companion study for at least 2 more hours on language alone. Its a lot. Slowly i think my English is leaving me so sorry if things don~t make sense all the time. I study exclusively the gospel during personal and companion study and then for a little bit during classes. This week I~ve been thinking about families a lot. We~ve had so many Brazillian speakers come to talk to us about gospel topics and often they talk about their conversion stories. Many of the Brazillian missionaries are first generation members. Their testimonies are incredible. The gospel has changed their lives in extreme ways. The people here are so receptive i think, partly because they have their priorities straight. Family is such a huge part of there culture.
Today sister moyle and I didnt get to go to the Temple for our Pday so we went exploring in the area surrounding the CTM. We were looking for this pastel shop that everyone was telling us about. We got lost and had to ask directions. Needless to say, We don~t speak portuguese, but these people love us and are kind and smile at us as we stumble over our broken portuguese. Pastels are delicious huge and fattening as well. They are like huge empanadas.
my companheiro, sister Moyle, is probably one of the best companions anyone could ever ask for she is the perfect example of quiet dignity. She is kind, patient and hilarious. At the CTM we fast from after lunch saturday till lunch Sunday. Saturday night we were talking when out of nowhere sister moyle says: shh! do you hear that? its quiet...we should starve them more often! i laughed so hard i almost peed my pants. The Elders are so loud at night usually so it was nice.
This is an amazing experience. I cannot even begin to communicate to you all what this is like. It doesnt seem real half the time. I feel very priviledged to be serving in the most wondreful country, with the most wonderful people, teaching the thing that makes me the most happy. I love this gospel I love its influence in my life, i wouldn~t be the person i am without it.
Proud to wear the tag,
Sister Peterson
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Jessi's 1st Letter from Brazil
Oi Familia e Amigos!
I feel like I waited forever and now I am in the second largest city in the world sitting in a Cookie Shop writing my very first email home as a missionary. It is crazy that A week ago I was saying my goodbyes. This has been one of the longest/shortest weeks of my life. Being a missionary is amazing, but incredibly challenging and Im not even in the field yet!
My companion is Sister Moyle she is from Holladay Utah and is going to Maceio with me November 17th. Heavenly Father blessed me with an awesome companion. She is just enough like me that we relate well and just different enough so that we compliment each other well.
In my district there are 7 other elders, one more is in Provo waiting on his visa. They are typical 19 year old boys, imature but hilarious. They treat us sisters very well and provide entertainment so i cant complain. Apparently they do things like mattress jousting at night time. The sisters just sleep.
There are about 400 to 500 missionaries here. about 200 of them are Brazillians and less than 50 of the 500 are sisters. The MTC here is actually called the CTM (say tay emee) And it is amazing. I am surrounded by the brazillian culture. We try to sit with the Brazillians at at least one meal a day to work on our Portuguese. So far I can have very short conversations with them and then they end up laughing at me.
Yesterday, my class went to talk to the Brazillian class. We just asked them simple questions like how are you? where you from? what mission? how many people in your family? But i learned a lot. The Brazillians are so kind and patient. If they get annoyed or frustrated they don~t let us know it. They are always talking to us and telling us english words. One of the Brazillian Elders talked to meabout my family when I told him how many sobrinhos (neices andnephews) i had he was in shock. VINTE-SEIS? he said then told all of his companions around him. One of the Brazillians showed me a picture of his nephew. It was an awesome experience I cannot wait till i am fluent or till i can at least carry on a conversation. A lingua esta´beleza!
I study hard each day. I was getting very frustrated and stressed by the fourth day. Sometimes this preparation is very overwhelming and i was asking God why is it so Hard. Well that night we had a devotional and a talk by Elder Holland was shown. He said, The reason why this work is so hard is because Salvation was never a cheap experience. I felt chastised and comforted at the same time.
When I get stressed or frustrated I am forgetting the reason why I am here. I am here to help people come to the realization that We have a loving Heavenly Father and He has a plan for us. It seems like whenever I have a doubt or frustration, it is always addressed the same day. I see God blessing me almost hourly. He has the confidence in me, I just have to trust him and have hope that He will help me learn what i need learn and do what i need to do. It is so much easier that way.
I love this work. I am so stoked to go to Maceio in two months. Everything in Brazil is beautiful, the vegetation, the language, the people, even the graffitied buildings and broken up sidewalks are gorgeous. I love it here. I know this is where I should be. Everything about this past week has shown me that Heavenly Father knows me so well.
Eu sei que a igreja de Jesus Cristo e verdadeiro. O livro de Mormon e a palavra de Deus. O Deus nosso amoroso Pai Celestial. E VERDADE!
Proud to wear the tag, Sister Peterson ps. I am only allowed to write emails to families so if my friends would like to write me my address is:
Sister Jessica Ruth Peterson
Box#48 District# 38-D
Brazil Maceio Missao
Rua Padre Antonio D´Angelo 121
Casa Verde
CEP 02156-040 Sao Paulo, SP
Brazil
I feel like I waited forever and now I am in the second largest city in the world sitting in a Cookie Shop writing my very first email home as a missionary. It is crazy that A week ago I was saying my goodbyes. This has been one of the longest/shortest weeks of my life. Being a missionary is amazing, but incredibly challenging and Im not even in the field yet!
My companion is Sister Moyle she is from Holladay Utah and is going to Maceio with me November 17th. Heavenly Father blessed me with an awesome companion. She is just enough like me that we relate well and just different enough so that we compliment each other well.
In my district there are 7 other elders, one more is in Provo waiting on his visa. They are typical 19 year old boys, imature but hilarious. They treat us sisters very well and provide entertainment so i cant complain. Apparently they do things like mattress jousting at night time. The sisters just sleep.
There are about 400 to 500 missionaries here. about 200 of them are Brazillians and less than 50 of the 500 are sisters. The MTC here is actually called the CTM (say tay emee) And it is amazing. I am surrounded by the brazillian culture. We try to sit with the Brazillians at at least one meal a day to work on our Portuguese. So far I can have very short conversations with them and then they end up laughing at me.
Yesterday, my class went to talk to the Brazillian class. We just asked them simple questions like how are you? where you from? what mission? how many people in your family? But i learned a lot. The Brazillians are so kind and patient. If they get annoyed or frustrated they don~t let us know it. They are always talking to us and telling us english words. One of the Brazillian Elders talked to meabout my family when I told him how many sobrinhos (neices andnephews) i had he was in shock. VINTE-SEIS? he said then told all of his companions around him. One of the Brazillians showed me a picture of his nephew. It was an awesome experience I cannot wait till i am fluent or till i can at least carry on a conversation. A lingua esta´beleza!
I study hard each day. I was getting very frustrated and stressed by the fourth day. Sometimes this preparation is very overwhelming and i was asking God why is it so Hard. Well that night we had a devotional and a talk by Elder Holland was shown. He said, The reason why this work is so hard is because Salvation was never a cheap experience. I felt chastised and comforted at the same time.
When I get stressed or frustrated I am forgetting the reason why I am here. I am here to help people come to the realization that We have a loving Heavenly Father and He has a plan for us. It seems like whenever I have a doubt or frustration, it is always addressed the same day. I see God blessing me almost hourly. He has the confidence in me, I just have to trust him and have hope that He will help me learn what i need learn and do what i need to do. It is so much easier that way.
I love this work. I am so stoked to go to Maceio in two months. Everything in Brazil is beautiful, the vegetation, the language, the people, even the graffitied buildings and broken up sidewalks are gorgeous. I love it here. I know this is where I should be. Everything about this past week has shown me that Heavenly Father knows me so well.
Eu sei que a igreja de Jesus Cristo e verdadeiro. O livro de Mormon e a palavra de Deus. O Deus nosso amoroso Pai Celestial. E VERDADE!
Proud to wear the tag, Sister Peterson ps. I am only allowed to write emails to families so if my friends would like to write me my address is:
Sister Jessica Ruth Peterson
Box#48 District# 38-D
Brazil Maceio Missao
Rua Padre Antonio D´Angelo 121
Casa Verde
CEP 02156-040 Sao Paulo, SP
Brazil
Thursday, September 3, 2009
What life is all about
As of 09/01/2009, my best friend Jessica Dawn Smith agreed to marry some Portuguese speaking hooligan. I just gotta say CONGRATULATIONS to that wonderful girl. Jessie you are totally my hero, Anthony is one lucky dude to have such a beautiful amazing strong and worthwhile fiance. Thank you Jessie for your awesome example to me. You are one of those people who never stopped loving me even when you had the opportunity and perhaps even an excuse to stop. I hope that I can become as selfless humble and driven as you lady. I'm bummed i'm not going to be around for the wedding but I'm so glad that you are doing it the right way girl. Good luck on all your upcoming adventures with your hubby, I'm so proud of you!
Also, one of the most influential people in my life over the past year got her mission call. Sister Nicole Dowdle will be serving in Taipei Taiwan for a period of 18 months. You are going to be a rockin missionary girl. You have one of the most firm foundations in anyone i've met. You always stand for what is right, you are one of those people that Heavenly Father placed specifically in my life for my betterment. I love you mija, you are my best friend, sister, and role model.
The adventures facing these two wonderful people make me so happy, I really admire these two people there actions exemplify a quote by Ezra Taft Benson:
"We must put God in the forefront of everything else in our lives. He must come first...When we put God first, all other things fall into their proper place or drop out of our lives."
I see you both doing this daily, and I see the effects of it. I'm so proud of you both!
Friday, August 21, 2009
22 days till you can call me Irma
Things I will "miss" for the next 18 months:
going to the temple whenever i wanna
=]I sure can't wait to start missing these things!
Sleeping in past 6:30 AM.
adventures with bestfriends
Running by myself, listening to my ipod.
minha familiaplaying with this little boy...
and laughing with this little girl:
PEANUT BUTTER!
SNOWBOARDING
Hugging good lookin boys
Studly Men in general
Ripsticking & Longboarding
Cash, Michael Jackson, Marley, the Beatles, Sinatra and Jack Hody Johnson
School & the late night cram sessions that accompany it.
(this was taken at approximately 3 AM)
wearing sweats, jeans, and shorts most of the week.
ADVENTURES WITH ROOMMATES
WINKING AT PEOPLE (semi-inappropriate on a mission)
going to the temple whenever i wanna
Possibly the english language
luxuries involving the American culture
playing all the time
autumn in Cache valley. all seasons in cache valley
=]I sure can't wait to start missing these things!
Friday, August 14, 2009
i am untitled
I sit here scraping the last globs of yoplait yogurt out its container while trying to think of a witty title for this, my blog that I rarely write. I was thinking of: Scraping for life at the bottom of my peach flavored yogurt container, but the connotation for that seems negative. I am anything but negative.
I am wakeful in my Utah State sweat pants and 15 year old wrestling hoodie that my brother used. I am sitting next to a window looking at my brother's "blonde" lawn turn green due to increase in rain and I am admiring the way the multi-shades-of-gray sky contrasts perfectly with pinetrees and other sorts of vegetation. Washington is everything beautiful to this mostly awake 21 year old.
I feel like...whoa i just started off three paragraphs with I...what would my english professors think? she's gettin rusty.maybe i am shhhh.... I feel content in this waiting period of life. I realize to have adventure you have to look for it and sometimes that means making adventure up. Whether that be building a blanket and pillow fort with 7&8 year old boys or running down a hypnotizing canal trail as rain drizzles slowly enough to build into puddles on your skin and you feel like you are all water and cloth as your shirt and shorts weigh down. but you keep running anyway because it feels good. Sometimes adventures involve getting lost into the concept of how the world works and how our minds and our hearts and our bodies combine to form this brilliantly structured being, perfectly suited for this world. The best adventures involve thinking outside yourself.
My hope, is that one day i will perfect the making of adventure. As Peter Pan said: "To live would be an awfully big adventure." and that is what i aim to do.
I am wakeful in my Utah State sweat pants and 15 year old wrestling hoodie that my brother used. I am sitting next to a window looking at my brother's "blonde" lawn turn green due to increase in rain and I am admiring the way the multi-shades-of-gray sky contrasts perfectly with pinetrees and other sorts of vegetation. Washington is everything beautiful to this mostly awake 21 year old.
I feel like...whoa i just started off three paragraphs with I...what would my english professors think? she's gettin rusty.maybe i am shhhh.... I feel content in this waiting period of life. I realize to have adventure you have to look for it and sometimes that means making adventure up. Whether that be building a blanket and pillow fort with 7&8 year old boys or running down a hypnotizing canal trail as rain drizzles slowly enough to build into puddles on your skin and you feel like you are all water and cloth as your shirt and shorts weigh down. but you keep running anyway because it feels good. Sometimes adventures involve getting lost into the concept of how the world works and how our minds and our hearts and our bodies combine to form this brilliantly structured being, perfectly suited for this world. The best adventures involve thinking outside yourself.
My hope, is that one day i will perfect the making of adventure. As Peter Pan said: "To live would be an awfully big adventure." and that is what i aim to do.
Sunday, June 7, 2009
simplicity
This is what a 21 year old looks like...I pride myself in the fact that if I wanted to, I could take all of my belongings, fit them into the back of my 2001 kia sephia (john wayne) and drive until my gas tank hit empty. I take pleasure in the fact that most of my hobbies require no money and that rice and beans are the staple of my diet. I love how quarters are critical and how they seem to be non existent due to the fact that every load of laundry wipes me out, quarterly speaking. I like living the simple life and finding happiness through my simplicity.
In Portuguese, Voce gostas minha bunda peluda means: Do you like my hairy butt?
A mozambiquan taught me this phrase on a drive home to Caldwell. Of all the
things that I've learned to say in Portuguese, I only remember the things that probably won't help me very much as a missionary.As far as life goes my life be like ooh ahh. i think in fact i capture the idea of that song. I have recently moved to Yelm Washington where I'm with my brother and his family. I basically get to hangout with my favorite two year old, an overly sassy three year old and the best 7 and 8 year old boys I've met. And my sister in law.
Life is simple for me right now i have approximately 36 days till i leave for Sao Paulo and I don't have much to stress about or much to say. I'm happy and i'm learning. I learn mostly from what I'm studying which with 36 days left is pretty much the gospel, but I get a lot of hands on experience with kids. Slowly, I've come to the conclusion that being a mom would pretty much be the raddest thing ever. I used to make fun of the girls in my church who only had one ambition in life and that was to be a mother. I admire these girls now. To be so with it at such a young age, man it took me nearly 21 years to figure it out.
I look at society and the future freaks me out, but then i think about it and realize...if everyone took parenting as seriously as they should, the world would be awesome. If everyone sought to be the best versions of themselves boom roasted i wouldn't dread the day when i hold this creature that i made in my hands and expect them to grow up functionally in the environment its been placed. I hate on the idea that family is not important in our society, it is the most fundamental and critically important thing possible.
I'll hop off that soap box for now. I'm just saying that I look forward to the day God tells me to start a family so I can experience the joy that comes from being completely and totally selfless. But until then, i'll work on the selfless part of me and be grateful for the selfish opportunities i have now.
That is me. Poor priceless and pleased to live such a wonderful life.
Friday, May 22, 2009
CALLED TO SERVE
Yesterday morning I called the post office at about eight o'clock in the morning. The post-woman eyed me as she realized I was the young lady who subsequently had been stalking her for the past thre
e or four days at my apartment complex. She gave me my post, and i thanked her. I opened my call and it said:Dear Sister Peterson,
You are hereby called to serve as a missionary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. You are assigned to labor in the Brazil Maceio Mission.
All I have to say (and it's really not all I have to say) is that this call was the perfect call for me. I'm stoked and incredibly humbled that God would give me this calling. I cannot wait to meet the wonderful people of Maceio and share my simple testimony of the gospel with them. This is one thing in my life that brings me joy beyond anything else. I am very blessed to have it and I am very blessed to have this opportunity to serve.
At night a bunch of my friends came to dinner to celebrate. I feel blessed to have so many friends supporting me. It was a lot of fun. I'm gonna miss some of these wonderful people.
117 days till i enter the Sao Paulo Brazil MTC. Life is good.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
SUMMER LOVE
Summer has this intriguing way of making me smile 24/7, making me break out into song (oooh oooh oooh HONEY!), and filling my soul with happiness. Amen sista, it's true, I've fallen HEAD OVER HEELS for Summer. I'm considering making this thing official, unfortunately by about september i'm longing for my other love, Fall. Although I know this is a short fling, i am so much in love with this summer thing that I must blog about it.
I am a quarterly blogger, i must admit, but hopefully i will have more time to dispel my about doings to those two or three faithful readers. Baha. love it!
I have recently moved to the beautiful city of Provo Utah and yes, it is a whole new universe here. It may take time to get used to the smiles and constant lds jargon in and out of class. My roommate overheard someone saying "Not only is that against the Word of Wisdom, but it is also against the honor code." I like BYU, it is different but i like that my religion is encorporated in my learning and it is something i am very grateful for.
I am rooming with one of my previous roommates, Nicole, and one of my lifelong biffles for riffles Lindsey. We like to have adventures they involve ripsticking, rollerblades, longboards, and peanut butter no bake bars. Lindsey constantly likes to ask, "are you ready to play, will you please play with me?" our apartment is GHETTO, but we love it. We all love eachother and life is GOOD.
I put my missionary papers in last Thursday. So within the next three weeks i should know where i'm going! EXCITING! I want nothing more than to serve my God in any way possible and I'm so grateful for the opportunity to do so by volunteering a year and a half of my life. I love my God and I know He loves me. That simple truth brings me happiness, pure simple and lasting happiness. I hope i can bring that happiness to others.
I must say i've got a lot to be thankful for. Love it.
"There's a five piece gospel band in the heart of every man." -Shake your Peace!
I am a quarterly blogger, i must admit, but hopefully i will have more time to dispel my about doings to those two or three faithful readers. Baha. love it!
I have recently moved to the beautiful city of Provo Utah and yes, it is a whole new universe here. It may take time to get used to the smiles and constant lds jargon in and out of class. My roommate overheard someone saying "Not only is that against the Word of Wisdom, but it is also against the honor code." I like BYU, it is different but i like that my religion is encorporated in my learning and it is something i am very grateful for.
I am rooming with one of my previous roommates, Nicole, and one of my lifelong biffles for riffles Lindsey. We like to have adventures they involve ripsticking, rollerblades, longboards, and peanut butter no bake bars. Lindsey constantly likes to ask, "are you ready to play, will you please play with me?" our apartment is GHETTO, but we love it. We all love eachother and life is GOOD.
I put my missionary papers in last Thursday. So within the next three weeks i should know where i'm going! EXCITING! I want nothing more than to serve my God in any way possible and I'm so grateful for the opportunity to do so by volunteering a year and a half of my life. I love my God and I know He loves me. That simple truth brings me happiness, pure simple and lasting happiness. I hope i can bring that happiness to others.
I must say i've got a lot to be thankful for. Love it.
"There's a five piece gospel band in the heart of every man." -Shake your Peace!
Sunday, January 25, 2009
ALOHA Mi Hermana un doitchland.
I haven't "blogged" in awhile due in part to my busy lifestyle and that my life isn't all that interesting. BUT if you are reading this you probably like to know my life so here is a synopsis:
1. Once again, I have experienced CRAZY ROOMMATE SYNDROME. Without fail i get a crazy each year. But the problem is gone and now i have awesome roommate virus so i'm happy.
2. The snow is here and that means: SNOWBOARDING!!! I spent a week in Tahoe Nevada/California snowboarding with some friends and experienced the beauty of a banana board.
3. It was a pleasure to congratulate me on being accepted to BYU and BYU Hawaii.
4. The physiological functions of the human body never cease to astound me.
5. I've found that one of my favorite places in the entire world is around the Seattle Washington area.
6. I lost my cell phone snowboarding (its the same number so if you call me i will have your number too).
7. I'm in love with Jack Hody Johnson. --------->
8. Andrew Michael Peterson, my brother, is
my best friend.
9. Rock climbing is rad.
10. And last but not least and probably not even last is this one simple truth:
The Family is ordained of God.
Although I have not always shown it in the past, I love my family with everything I have. Sometimes I get frustrated and upset. I often don't understand why they do the things they do, but I know I was given the family I have for my betterment. I love them and I wouldn't want to change where I came from. Although I am under the impression that half my family is computer illiterate a
nd the other half have no intention of reading the rest of this, I hope and pray that they know and feel the love that I have for them and the continued desire that I have for their success.
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