Sunday was a super spiritual day. I dont know why. I woke up feeling great. I felt a HUGE presence of the Spirit in my day. Especially during Sacrament. I never payed too much attention to the little deacons passing the sacrament but as i watched them i began to reflect on how much of a symbol the sacrament really is. One thing that really caught my eye was when I realized that the person who passes the sacrament gives it to everyone else first. Even the first to the person who blesses and then at last partakes. What a symbol of Christ, His love and His service and His PURPOSE. This and a lot of other moments really tugged at my heart and opened my eyes. Remember how the gospel is TRUE?
At conference at conference this week one thing that was mentioned, not really even talked about was PURPOSE. Everything we do here and in our lives has a PURPOSE. In the mission field we need to constantly evaluate our activities and the manner we carry them out to see if they are truly fulfilling the purpose intended. Why am i getting up at 630 everyday? why do i study? why do i stop people on the street to talk to them? why? as I have looked at my work the past few days, constantly asking: WHAT IS THE PURPOSE, I have learned a lot of ways to improve. The past few days i feel like we have been on FIRE. Goals that we have had difficulties reaching in the past few weeks we have almost reached in only two days. I am focusing on giving my maximum in everything, and I see the difference. The Lord blesses us when we do our best and we are obedient. I cant stress it enough. Neither can the BOM when it constantly mentions the promise given to the Nephites. If you keep the commandments you will prosper. If you dont... BOA SORTE. So look at your life your daily activities and ask WHAT IS THE PURPOSE. WHAT IS MY PURPOSE. and give your maximum. It is simple but once you have a perspective things change. We arent just here to work sleep eat. We are here to progress to be better today than yesterday. We are here too learn to be like God. To be like our Savior. To reach our potential and inevitably to be happy.
I am also reading in the new testament these days. Just so you know, Paul is amazing. I look at his faith and dilligence, the type of missionary he was. That is the example for me. i love the new testament.
We are working with a girl, Jéssica. She is so good. She loves to read the BOM she loves our lessons. She UNDERSTANDS what she reads and she APPLIES it into her life. she is 17 years old and as soon as she feels more prepared she could be baptized anytime. We shared with her Alma 7:14 about baptism. We asked her what the scripture means and she explained all the promises that come with baptism exactly and how they applied in her life. I am just saying that if you want to learn, teach. that is all.
This week in our contacts we found a ton of new people. In one of our lessons we found Sandro. He is amazing. He has such a happy countenance and is one of those people who are truly SEARCHING. he is praying he is learning and if you could see his face when we teach well that would be enough to say that he is excited about this new idea. An idea of a God who is real and is concerned about his children enough that he calls profets today too. i am excited to see how he progresses.
Oh today we went fishing for crabs. I caught a HUGE one. i am pretty sure i am allergic so i watched as everybody ate them but it was fun. i really need to send pictures i will when i can.
Did i ever tell you how much i love brasil. The nordeste (northeast) in particular. This is where the best people live. People with hearts of gold. The example of love i want to show is found in these dark skinned beautiful people. People always ask about the US and one day i was saying how people dont kiss eachother on the cheeks hardly ever and dont really hug eachother unless they know eachother. the response was: how horrible! yep i live with amazing people who make you feel their love in EVERYTHING they do. I am grateful everyday for God and His love that He sent me here in this beautiful place with the best calling ever. I am so grateful and proud for the opportunity to say countless times everyday: Eu sou uma missionária da Igreja de Jesus Cristo dos Santos dos Ultimos Dias. I am so proud for the two names on the right side of my chest that represent the people that I love the most. I am a missionary, how great is my calling?
Proud to wear the tag,
Sister JP Peterson
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Mother's Day
Mother's day was amazing. I can't begin to relate how happy I was to talk to all of you. As i said to a few of you, i had been feeling pretty homesick since having an american companion, but to talk to you all was just what i needed! It was a great day. Grandma, I am so sorry that I didnt get to talk to you. I waited as long as i could, but the bishops son who is on a mission in Sao Paulo called and so after that I couldnt really wait any longer. I am so sorry but i wanted so bad to talk to you! happy mothers day grandma, i love you and i am so grateful for such an amazing example like you in my life!
So Saturday we baptized an AMAZING young man, Carlos. He lost his parents not too long ago and he lives completely alone. Like a majority of the young people in these neighborhoods, he was using drugs and had other problems.He has many difficult situations in his life but he did everything he could to prepare to be baptized. the night before his baptism we taught a lesson and at the end he prayed. His prayer was one of the most sincere and beautiful prayers i have heard in my life. I looked at that young man and thought, this is Heavenly FAthers son, he wants him healed. I can see that the gospel has already offered him so much and has helped him so much. Just another testimony that this is the work of the Lord. I literally felt the love that Heavenly Father has for him and if i wasnt a missionary i totally would have given him a huge hug. and if i cried more easily i probably would have cried. He showed up Sunday to be confirmed AND he brought a friend. Literally everytime we teach him, he has a friend at his house for us to teach too. GOLDEN.
We are teaching a girl Jéssica and she is amazing too. she reads everything we give her. she says when she is stressed out she likes to read the pamphlets we give her or the BOM. She doesnt feel so prepared for baptism but we are helping her and i can see her being baptized soon. She knows that baptism is a serious thing and she wants to be totally ready.
Sunday night i was feeling a little bit sick so i stayed at the chapel to talk to you all. Monday like 4 am i woke up with quasimodo eyes. they were so swollen! i felt sick and weak and tired but we still taught quite a bit. i think one of our investigators was laughing at me when i was teaching she kept looking at my face and covering her mouth. yeah i was that hideous. yesterday it got worse my lips swelled up and i have something that looks like chicken pox on my body. i am taking medicine right now but my face is real fat and i am a pretty scary thing to look at. but it is kind of funny also. just so you know i am not a fan of Brasillian healthcare. I am a little bummed, this week i wanted to work a lot but its just not happening. it will get better though.
I just want to leave my testimony with you all: Joseph Smith truly saw our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ in the sacred grove. One simple prayer from a very humble boy changed the world almost a century ago. It changed my life and I am seeing it change lives daily. That amazing boy is a great example to me and I am so grateful that my Heavenly Father calls prophets in our days. I know Christ lives and that He loves us. He is a living God, not some dead figure that we follow, but a true example to all and i know the world will be better by following Him.
EU AMO VOCÉS!
Proud to wear the tag,
Sister JP Peterson
So Saturday we baptized an AMAZING young man, Carlos. He lost his parents not too long ago and he lives completely alone. Like a majority of the young people in these neighborhoods, he was using drugs and had other problems.He has many difficult situations in his life but he did everything he could to prepare to be baptized. the night before his baptism we taught a lesson and at the end he prayed. His prayer was one of the most sincere and beautiful prayers i have heard in my life. I looked at that young man and thought, this is Heavenly FAthers son, he wants him healed. I can see that the gospel has already offered him so much and has helped him so much. Just another testimony that this is the work of the Lord. I literally felt the love that Heavenly Father has for him and if i wasnt a missionary i totally would have given him a huge hug. and if i cried more easily i probably would have cried. He showed up Sunday to be confirmed AND he brought a friend. Literally everytime we teach him, he has a friend at his house for us to teach too. GOLDEN.
We are teaching a girl Jéssica and she is amazing too. she reads everything we give her. she says when she is stressed out she likes to read the pamphlets we give her or the BOM. She doesnt feel so prepared for baptism but we are helping her and i can see her being baptized soon. She knows that baptism is a serious thing and she wants to be totally ready.
Sunday night i was feeling a little bit sick so i stayed at the chapel to talk to you all. Monday like 4 am i woke up with quasimodo eyes. they were so swollen! i felt sick and weak and tired but we still taught quite a bit. i think one of our investigators was laughing at me when i was teaching she kept looking at my face and covering her mouth. yeah i was that hideous. yesterday it got worse my lips swelled up and i have something that looks like chicken pox on my body. i am taking medicine right now but my face is real fat and i am a pretty scary thing to look at. but it is kind of funny also. just so you know i am not a fan of Brasillian healthcare. I am a little bummed, this week i wanted to work a lot but its just not happening. it will get better though.
I just want to leave my testimony with you all: Joseph Smith truly saw our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ in the sacred grove. One simple prayer from a very humble boy changed the world almost a century ago. It changed my life and I am seeing it change lives daily. That amazing boy is a great example to me and I am so grateful that my Heavenly Father calls prophets in our days. I know Christ lives and that He loves us. He is a living God, not some dead figure that we follow, but a true example to all and i know the world will be better by following Him.
EU AMO VOCÉS!
Proud to wear the tag,
Sister JP Peterson
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