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