Dearest Family,
Another week. Full of the Lord's tender mercies. I don't have time to really write much this week but I would like to write a few things.
-IZAILDA: an amazing investigator. She is paralyzed and is confined to a wheelchair but this is anything but confining to her. SHE DOES EVERYTHING. She was going to an assembly of God church just because it is infront of her house. But as we taught her she felt the truth. She went to church and she loved it. As she participated in the activities she shared her experience when she prayed to know if the church was true. She said, "I go to the assembly of God church-no i used to go to the assembly of God church..." It is amazing to see how she went from believing all the ridiculous things people believe about the church to getting excited to be baptized in only a few days.
-Benedito Bentes (biu) is a difficult area to baptize. It is mostly an area to strengthen the ward members. I thought i would be lost because my experience at aeroclube of learning the roads was rough...but here i feel so accostomed and i dont have any problem. The members are great and help a ton. We are helping a family Poliana and Hercules and their 4 beautiful children get back into church. We had a family home evening last night that was great.
-The Scriptures wow. I am reading the war chapters in Alma. They apply directly into my life. Symbols and connections that I never before recognized. They help me to be "armed" and ready always.
I am learning to be more like Christ this transfer. I literally am amazed by that man and all that He did. I now more than every dont understand how he could love so much that he did what he did. Amazing. I know that Christ is my Savior. I have always known it but on my mission I have learned to trust him and I have gotten to know him better. I know that he truly suffered for my sins and that he took upon himself my pains and weaknesses. He knows me. I know that the love he has for us is unconditional. I have felt that love. This week I have felt the Lord helping me to get through trials. The atonement is very real. I have felt it in my prayers in lessons in the hardest moments and in the better moments too. This is the Lords work I know it. I know that his restored gospel will bring peace and happiness into the lives of so many if they just let it and strive their best to live it.
Proud to wear this tag,
Sister Peterson
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
bye bye aeroclube
Dear family,
The Lord is giving me an opportunity to really practice what I preach. I teach about faith. everyday. how we must trust in the Lord and his timing and his plans. Isaiah 55:8-9. Well this week I was transfered from my home. Aeroclube. I was almost positive i would stay. this transfer is only five weeks. in fact, even though i am not one to ask for things from president, i wrote him saying, "If it is the Lords will, I would like to finish my mission here in aeroclube". apparently that isn't the Lord's will.
saturday night after we received the call lima and i sat in silence. we finished planning and i went directly to bed. i didnt want to murmur but my brain was going out of control. i prayed and the Lord comforted me. It is always hard to say goodbye to an area...but to your home its even harder. All my families, all my converts, and all my investigators. sunday we taught an amazing lesson with Luana and Kelvin. Kelvin went to church with us the afternoon. in fact, we had 7 investigators there. I truly feel like I left this amazing ward, that althought was always amazing, better than i found it. I know the Lord is happy with the work I have done there.
It was hard to leave lima, my filha. She cried, spontaneously for two days.
we had a family home evening monday at a members house, a majority of my recent converts and our progressing investigators were there. because i and elder cordeiro (he arrived in the area with me) are leaving they went around basically telling us how we influenced there lives-through tears-and thanking us. It was another tender mercy of the Lord letting me know that it is okay to feel sad to say goodbye, but not okay to complain. The love that I feel for all those people is uncomparable. it is true, i have learned how to truly love people.
so i arrived here yesterday in benedito bentes. i have five weeks to find my purpose here. i am actively seeking it. I am with sister feitosa and sister de souza all both have less than 5 months here. I am doing my best to establish a feeling of unity and happiness in a trio. Trios generally are a little rough but we are excited to make this the best transfer yet. i want to die dying-morrer morrendo. we have established goals and we are seeking the Lord's elect here. the members are excited and I am determined to act diligently to the end.
Each time i get sad, i pray and the Lord reminds me that He knows what is best. And I am sure of His love for me just as I am sure of His love for all of His children. it is because of this love that i am here
I know that this is the best mission in the world. I know that I was sent here for a purpose and this is exactly where I should be. I know that Christ leads this work through his chosen leaders and that He loves us. I know that He understands me and knows me and that he will give me every opportunity possible to grow and progress. I know that this gospel is the only true and full gospel. I know God lives and loves us.
proud to wear the tag,
sister Peterson
The Lord is giving me an opportunity to really practice what I preach. I teach about faith. everyday. how we must trust in the Lord and his timing and his plans. Isaiah 55:8-9. Well this week I was transfered from my home. Aeroclube. I was almost positive i would stay. this transfer is only five weeks. in fact, even though i am not one to ask for things from president, i wrote him saying, "If it is the Lords will, I would like to finish my mission here in aeroclube". apparently that isn't the Lord's will.
saturday night after we received the call lima and i sat in silence. we finished planning and i went directly to bed. i didnt want to murmur but my brain was going out of control. i prayed and the Lord comforted me. It is always hard to say goodbye to an area...but to your home its even harder. All my families, all my converts, and all my investigators. sunday we taught an amazing lesson with Luana and Kelvin. Kelvin went to church with us the afternoon. in fact, we had 7 investigators there. I truly feel like I left this amazing ward, that althought was always amazing, better than i found it. I know the Lord is happy with the work I have done there.
It was hard to leave lima, my filha. She cried, spontaneously for two days.
we had a family home evening monday at a members house, a majority of my recent converts and our progressing investigators were there. because i and elder cordeiro (he arrived in the area with me) are leaving they went around basically telling us how we influenced there lives-through tears-and thanking us. It was another tender mercy of the Lord letting me know that it is okay to feel sad to say goodbye, but not okay to complain. The love that I feel for all those people is uncomparable. it is true, i have learned how to truly love people.
so i arrived here yesterday in benedito bentes. i have five weeks to find my purpose here. i am actively seeking it. I am with sister feitosa and sister de souza all both have less than 5 months here. I am doing my best to establish a feeling of unity and happiness in a trio. Trios generally are a little rough but we are excited to make this the best transfer yet. i want to die dying-morrer morrendo. we have established goals and we are seeking the Lord's elect here. the members are excited and I am determined to act diligently to the end.
Each time i get sad, i pray and the Lord reminds me that He knows what is best. And I am sure of His love for me just as I am sure of His love for all of His children. it is because of this love that i am here
I know that this is the best mission in the world. I know that I was sent here for a purpose and this is exactly where I should be. I know that Christ leads this work through his chosen leaders and that He loves us. I know that He understands me and knows me and that he will give me every opportunity possible to grow and progress. I know that this gospel is the only true and full gospel. I know God lives and loves us.
proud to wear the tag,
sister Peterson
Saturday, February 12, 2011
i remember the transcendentalist in me
Another week flew by. how does that even happen.
Today we went to the countryside with Cinthia, who was baptized this week, the sister of Joalison, and their mom. It was beautiful and reminded me of home. instead of cars and pollution there were fields (granted instead of corn and hay it was sugar cane and macaxera) and open sky. We ate so many mangoes directly from the tree, Papaya and we knocked coconuts from the trees and drank directly from the coconut. i feel like it was a true northeast brazil experience. it was beautiful and i felt so happy to be in nature again...man i need to go camping this summer!
As i was riding in a van, returning to my area I talked with the driver. Even before the day began i remembered our new counsel to carry a Book of Mormon with us everywhere we go. It is PDAY but i decided to leave one in my bag. As i entered into the van i had an impression to take out my Book of Mormon. I ignored it but thought, why, should i talk to this driver? as he drove he started talking to me. he is A deacon in the Assembly of God church. We talked about my mission and how he also is a missionary in his church but most of all we talked of Christ and how important he is to us. it flowed perfectly and I had the opportunity to bring up that Christ ministered among the people here. i bore my testimony of the Book of Mormon how it helps me to get closer to my Savior daily. I asked him if i could give him the book. He was really excited and said yes. I wrote a dedication in the front for him and he said that his daughter could read english so i wrote in english. i felt the spirit super strong as i talked to this man about the thing that makes me most happy.
I have had a lot of great experiences this week in fact. I feel like a brand new missionary. Excited to talk to people. I made a contact with a young man after completing my goal for the day of contacts, and I felt the Spirit very strong as I talked to him. We will meet with him tomorrow, i dont know if it will go anywhere but it was a huge reminder that the Lord's elect are all around me and if I am not paying a attention they will pass me by.
As i said, Cinthia was baptized and also Fernanda. They are already super integrated into the ward. Cinthia is already working on personal progress each night and Joalison told his sister that he would like to serve a mission. WOW! Fernanda lives in the countryside during the week but stays with Flavia (my recent convert) on the weekends. she is going to bring a bunch of her friends to church on sunday that live in the countryside.
Sunday Katia (my recent convert) bore testimony the first time. She bore testimony of how the gospel has changed her life. how it is true. and the Spirit was SO STRONG. I then thought of Cristiane (another rc) who during the past weeks has told me how she falls in love with the gospel everyday and how even though it is difficult she pays her tithing FIRST. Then I think about Flavia who faces all sorts of comments from her family about the church but as soon as i told her that we dont buy things on sunday...she stopped. And then I hear her testimony to another member about keeping the Sabbath day holy. Then I look at her children and how even they have changed, more obedient and helpful. Excited everytime we walk by there house, holding my hand as we walk to an activity at church. Then I think of Beto and Joalison and oscar being sustained to receive the aaronic priesthood. I think of my recent converts in SErgipe that changed my life and of Martas family in Arapiraca-after almost one year the father was baptized and they are working on going to the temple. It could have been any other missionary, and for many it would have been any other missionary who got to teach these people...but i still have this feeling so amazingly strong each time i think of these people that I love so much and as i see them KEEPING their baptismal covenants. My joy is full.
Read Alma 24-30. I feel like Amon as he witnessed the Anti Nefi lehites literally sacrificing everything to keep their covenants with God. That they didnt even fear death because their faith and hope in the resurrection and Christ was SO STRONG. I feel that happiness that he talks about. I never really understood it. I always admired Amon and Alma but right now i can relate. Can their really be a greater feeling than this? I can only think of when I will see my children living up to their covenants because of their choice to keep them and walk rightly before the Lord.
Amon felt like this in Alma 26:
15Yea, they were encircled about with everlasting adarkness and destruction; but behold, he has brought them into his everlasting blight, yea, into everlasting salvation; and they are encircled about with the matchless bounty of his love; yea, and we have been instruments in his hands of doing this great and marvelous work.
16Therefore, let us aglory, yea, we will bglory in the Lord; yea, we will rejoice, for our joy is full; yea, we will praise our God forever. Behold, who can glory too much in the Lord? Yea, who can say too much of his great power, and of his cmercy, and of his long-suffering towards the children of men? Behold, I say unto you, I cannot say the smallest part which I feel.
Alma too felt this (Alma 28):
10 And behold, when I see many of my brethren truly penitent, and coming to the Lord their God, then is my soul filled with joy; then do I remember awhat the Lord has done for me, yea, even that he hath heard my prayer; yea, then do I remember his merciful arm which he extended towards me.
1 O that I were an angel, and could have the wish of mine heart, that I might go forth and speak with the atrump of God, with a voice to shake the earth, and cry repentance unto every people!
2Yea, I would declare unto every soul, as with the voice of thunder, repentance and the plan of redemption, that they should repent and acome unto our God, that there might not be more sorrow upon all the face of the earth.
Want world peace? It is the gospel and I have seen it change the world or at least each one of these peoples worlds.
I know that this is the Lord's work. It is so very essential to bringing to pass his eternal purposes. If we dont do it, who will? I know that we are His chosen servants and that through the Spirit we can be tools in the Lord's hands to help these wonderful people accept the gospel. i know Christ lives and guides this church. I know God hears and answers our prayers. He is merciful and full of love. He wants to help us. But we, like the Anti Nefi leitas, MUST bury our arms of rebellion and strive to live what Christ taught us. These teachings are found through the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. I know it is true. It just is.
I love the scriptures. read these chapters in alma this week!
Proud as ever to wear the tag,
Sister Peterson
Today we went to the countryside with Cinthia, who was baptized this week, the sister of Joalison, and their mom. It was beautiful and reminded me of home. instead of cars and pollution there were fields (granted instead of corn and hay it was sugar cane and macaxera) and open sky. We ate so many mangoes directly from the tree, Papaya and we knocked coconuts from the trees and drank directly from the coconut. i feel like it was a true northeast brazil experience. it was beautiful and i felt so happy to be in nature again...man i need to go camping this summer!
As i was riding in a van, returning to my area I talked with the driver. Even before the day began i remembered our new counsel to carry a Book of Mormon with us everywhere we go. It is PDAY but i decided to leave one in my bag. As i entered into the van i had an impression to take out my Book of Mormon. I ignored it but thought, why, should i talk to this driver? as he drove he started talking to me. he is A deacon in the Assembly of God church. We talked about my mission and how he also is a missionary in his church but most of all we talked of Christ and how important he is to us. it flowed perfectly and I had the opportunity to bring up that Christ ministered among the people here. i bore my testimony of the Book of Mormon how it helps me to get closer to my Savior daily. I asked him if i could give him the book. He was really excited and said yes. I wrote a dedication in the front for him and he said that his daughter could read english so i wrote in english. i felt the spirit super strong as i talked to this man about the thing that makes me most happy.
I have had a lot of great experiences this week in fact. I feel like a brand new missionary. Excited to talk to people. I made a contact with a young man after completing my goal for the day of contacts, and I felt the Spirit very strong as I talked to him. We will meet with him tomorrow, i dont know if it will go anywhere but it was a huge reminder that the Lord's elect are all around me and if I am not paying a attention they will pass me by.
As i said, Cinthia was baptized and also Fernanda. They are already super integrated into the ward. Cinthia is already working on personal progress each night and Joalison told his sister that he would like to serve a mission. WOW! Fernanda lives in the countryside during the week but stays with Flavia (my recent convert) on the weekends. she is going to bring a bunch of her friends to church on sunday that live in the countryside.
Sunday Katia (my recent convert) bore testimony the first time. She bore testimony of how the gospel has changed her life. how it is true. and the Spirit was SO STRONG. I then thought of Cristiane (another rc) who during the past weeks has told me how she falls in love with the gospel everyday and how even though it is difficult she pays her tithing FIRST. Then I think about Flavia who faces all sorts of comments from her family about the church but as soon as i told her that we dont buy things on sunday...she stopped. And then I hear her testimony to another member about keeping the Sabbath day holy. Then I look at her children and how even they have changed, more obedient and helpful. Excited everytime we walk by there house, holding my hand as we walk to an activity at church. Then I think of Beto and Joalison and oscar being sustained to receive the aaronic priesthood. I think of my recent converts in SErgipe that changed my life and of Martas family in Arapiraca-after almost one year the father was baptized and they are working on going to the temple. It could have been any other missionary, and for many it would have been any other missionary who got to teach these people...but i still have this feeling so amazingly strong each time i think of these people that I love so much and as i see them KEEPING their baptismal covenants. My joy is full.
Read Alma 24-30. I feel like Amon as he witnessed the Anti Nefi lehites literally sacrificing everything to keep their covenants with God. That they didnt even fear death because their faith and hope in the resurrection and Christ was SO STRONG. I feel that happiness that he talks about. I never really understood it. I always admired Amon and Alma but right now i can relate. Can their really be a greater feeling than this? I can only think of when I will see my children living up to their covenants because of their choice to keep them and walk rightly before the Lord.
Amon felt like this in Alma 26:
15Yea, they were encircled about with everlasting adarkness and destruction; but behold, he has brought them into his everlasting blight, yea, into everlasting salvation; and they are encircled about with the matchless bounty of his love; yea, and we have been instruments in his hands of doing this great and marvelous work.
16Therefore, let us aglory, yea, we will bglory in the Lord; yea, we will rejoice, for our joy is full; yea, we will praise our God forever. Behold, who can glory too much in the Lord? Yea, who can say too much of his great power, and of his cmercy, and of his long-suffering towards the children of men? Behold, I say unto you, I cannot say the smallest part which I feel.
Alma too felt this (Alma 28):
10 And behold, when I see many of my brethren truly penitent, and coming to the Lord their God, then is my soul filled with joy; then do I remember awhat the Lord has done for me, yea, even that he hath heard my prayer; yea, then do I remember his merciful arm which he extended towards me.
1 O that I were an angel, and could have the wish of mine heart, that I might go forth and speak with the atrump of God, with a voice to shake the earth, and cry repentance unto every people!
2Yea, I would declare unto every soul, as with the voice of thunder, repentance and the plan of redemption, that they should repent and acome unto our God, that there might not be more sorrow upon all the face of the earth.
Want world peace? It is the gospel and I have seen it change the world or at least each one of these peoples worlds.
I know that this is the Lord's work. It is so very essential to bringing to pass his eternal purposes. If we dont do it, who will? I know that we are His chosen servants and that through the Spirit we can be tools in the Lord's hands to help these wonderful people accept the gospel. i know Christ lives and guides this church. I know God hears and answers our prayers. He is merciful and full of love. He wants to help us. But we, like the Anti Nefi leitas, MUST bury our arms of rebellion and strive to live what Christ taught us. These teachings are found through the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. I know it is true. It just is.
I love the scriptures. read these chapters in alma this week!
Proud as ever to wear the tag,
Sister Peterson
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Another week
Another week has passed by! weird. I think I am finally getting a hang of this whole missionary work stuff. At least right now =). This week we had a lot more happiness and joy in the work. I dont know why but sometimes I get stressed or discouraged and then one thing builds on another and boom the adversary accomplished what he set out to do. This week wasnt so much like that. The discouraging moments werent all that discouraging, it is all about the reaction. Are we acting like disciples of Christ or are we reacting? As I was talking to a member that is a little "intense" or "hard" on other members I started thinking of Christ and how he would never ever make another person feel inadequate. Yes he corrects us. It will always be clear when we are doing what is right and when we are doing what is wrong...but that doesnt mean we need to purposely offend others or make them feel less than they are. I have learned a lot about humility and the importance of taking constructive criticism and also of giving this type of criticism in the most loving manner possible. i hope i never forget the importance of this type of communication.
We are working with Cinthia and Joalison. A brother and sister, 16 and 17. These are extraordinary individuals. For teenagers they have a lot more sense of direction than most. When we teach the commandments, word of wisdom the law of chastity they simply accept and explain why it is important and how the world would be different if people just kept the commandments.
Flavia's 15 year old sister is also preparing to be baptized. It is so interesting to see how happy this family is with the gospel. Fernanda is shy but is excited to be baptized.
We taught a lot of lessons this week that i felt like they were just really amazing conversations about life and God's plan for us. I love how the gospel can be such a natural part of my life that in my conversations it is the first topic i want to bring up. And how EVERYTHING relates back to the gospel. how cool is that.
Last week I went and visited Arapiraca with a few other missionaries. I spent five weeks there but I visited Marta's family, the first family that I baptized. This January her husband was finally baptized and they are working hard to go to the temple. amazing. It was so great to be in there home again. I was in there life for very small time but i feel so much love for that family.
I know that Christ is our Savior and each week here I am understanding better the gift of repentance and the miracle of forgiveness. Not only in my life but in the lives of those I teach. I see how Christ literally cures our broken hearts and helps us to change those horrible parts of us so that we can be more like him. I know this gospel is the way to perfection. I know that this work is essential. Out of the billions of people in the world that millions of problems, we have the solution. The gospel of Jesus Christ. It is amazing and it makes me me.
proud to wear the tag,
Sister Peterson
We are working with Cinthia and Joalison. A brother and sister, 16 and 17. These are extraordinary individuals. For teenagers they have a lot more sense of direction than most. When we teach the commandments, word of wisdom the law of chastity they simply accept and explain why it is important and how the world would be different if people just kept the commandments.
Flavia's 15 year old sister is also preparing to be baptized. It is so interesting to see how happy this family is with the gospel. Fernanda is shy but is excited to be baptized.
We taught a lot of lessons this week that i felt like they were just really amazing conversations about life and God's plan for us. I love how the gospel can be such a natural part of my life that in my conversations it is the first topic i want to bring up. And how EVERYTHING relates back to the gospel. how cool is that.
Last week I went and visited Arapiraca with a few other missionaries. I spent five weeks there but I visited Marta's family, the first family that I baptized. This January her husband was finally baptized and they are working hard to go to the temple. amazing. It was so great to be in there home again. I was in there life for very small time but i feel so much love for that family.
I know that Christ is our Savior and each week here I am understanding better the gift of repentance and the miracle of forgiveness. Not only in my life but in the lives of those I teach. I see how Christ literally cures our broken hearts and helps us to change those horrible parts of us so that we can be more like him. I know this gospel is the way to perfection. I know that this work is essential. Out of the billions of people in the world that millions of problems, we have the solution. The gospel of Jesus Christ. It is amazing and it makes me me.
proud to wear the tag,
Sister Peterson
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